Today we discuss travel, leisure, sunsets and presidential debates.

Goody! Looks like we’ll have two Biden-Trump debates to tide us over this summer.

It seems that way. But who knows.

Wait. I shouldn’t cancel my dream vacation just yet?

I wouldn’t.

I mean, I don’t want to pop your party balloon. If a political debate is your idea of a good time — rather than, say, sitting on the sugary sands of some beach watching a dappled sunset play on the water, more power to you!

But we’re still a long way from the moment President Biden and former President Trump share a debate stage.

I thought it was all settled.

The prospective debates did come together rather quickly after Biden issued a taunting challenge and Trump immediately agreed to two face-to-face meetings.

The first is scheduled for June 27 on CNN. The second is set for Sept. 10 on ABC.

However, there are still a lot of details to be worked out, and plenty of opportunity for one party or the other to walk away.

Remember, in 2020 Trump bailed on a debate with Biden because the terms — a remote set-up, taken as a precaution during the COVID-19 pandemic — weren’t to his liking.

I thought all the details were ironed out by an independent debate commission.

That’s how it used to work.

Starting in 1987, the Commission on Presidential Debates — a nonprofit entity with a bipartisan board of directors — worked with the television networks to set up three presidential and one vice presidential debate each election cycle.

Matters such as the format, the choice of moderators and the seating (or standing) arrangements were settled ahead of time.

All the candidates had to do, apart from cramming for the 90-minute sessions, was show up.

So what happened?

The commission laid out its plans for four debates this fall, starting on Sept. 16 and ending on Oct. 9. But Biden and Trump chose to disregard the commission and ignore its proposed schedule.

They can do that?

Yes, indeed. There’s absolutely no requirement the candidates abide by the commission’s recommendations, or debate at all.

Jeepers.

Actually, the move wasn’t all that startling.

Trump was unhappy with the commission for several reasons. He complained about the moderators chosen in 2016 and again in 2020. He also didn’t like a decision to mute candidates’ microphones during parts of the second 2020 debate after he persistently talked over Biden in their first meeting.

Two years ago, at Trump’s behest, the Republican National Committee officially withdrew from the debate commission.

So Trump blew it up.

No. Biden had issues with the commission as well.

Two of his top political advisors, Anita Dunn and Ron Klain, were part of a bipartisan panel that issued a 2015 report calling for an overhaul of the presidential debate process by, among other things, expanding the pool of potential moderators and eliminating on-site audiences.

The bottom line is both campaigns thought it better suited their interests to bail on the commission and work out a debate schedule by themselves.

So it’s a win-win for Biden and Trump?

You could look at it that way.

Biden doubtless would have preferred to come nowhere near Trump. If he was running away with the contest, the president might have gotten his wish.

But debates have come to be expected of the two major party candidates, and if Biden refused it would have invited further unwanted questions about his health and stamina.

By agreeing to two debates, and no more, Biden limits the risks of a campaign-jeopardizing stumble. Also, by holding the debates earlier than usual — the last takes place nearly two months before election day — it allows the president plenty of time to recover politically if he turns in a less than stellar performance.

That said, Biden could be boffo — or at least perform decently enough. He’s shown a penchant for rising to important occasions, such as his well-received State of the Union speech in March.

What’s in it for Trump?

He’s been salivating to get onstage with Biden, repeatedly saying he’d debate the president anytime, anywhere. So Trump couldn’t very well refuse when Biden replied, OK, let’s do it.

More than that, Trump and his strategists are thoroughly convinced that Biden is a walking, or rather, doddering disaster. In fact, while it’s typical for a candidate to downplay expectations — the better to crow about their performance once the debate is over — Trump has done the opposite.

He’s described Biden as “the WORST debater I have ever faced” and a man who can’t “put two sentences together.”

So if he puts two sentences together, Biden wins?

I wouldn’t say so.

It doesn’t matter how high, or low, Biden or Trump set expectations. Voters can watch and judge their performances independent of any pre-debate spin. That’s why tens of millions of people tune in. The debates offer one of the few occasions during a campaign where the candidates can be seen unscripted and thinking and acting on their feet.

What about other candidates?

Trump and Biden would both be happy to exclude Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the leading independent candidate, since neither side is certain whom he helps or hurts more.

Regardless of how Kennedy performed, standing on the same stage as Biden and Trump would automatically elevate his candidacy.

That’s another reason the two major party candidates agreed to their own arrangements — though Kennedy could still qualify under the criteria put forth by CNN and ABC. His participation is among the open questions surrounding the debates and something that could end up nixing one or both.

So should I stick with or cancel my summer plans?

Go ahead. Get out there and see the world. It’s summertime!

If you’re that concerned about missing the political action, just make sure your cabana or mountain aerie has reliable Wi-Fi.

Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of profiles of potential running mates for presidential candidate Donald Trump on the 2024 Republican Party ticket.

A possible frontrunner on former President Trump’s running mate shortlist has a major “downside” that could make his potential selection a bad bet, multiple campaign and election experts told Fox News Digital.

The horse race among those hoping to be named Trump’s running mate continued this week. Those widely believed to be on the shortlist made the rounds on various media outlets and at events alongside the former president, including North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who some say lacks a “wow factor.”

“He’s not a known commodity. He’s not somebody that, I think, instinctively would fire up the base or fire up Republicans,” GOP strategist Dave Polyansky said, citing concerns over Burgum’s lack of name recognition despite running in the Republican presidential primaries last year.

TRUMP VEEP STAKES: THE PROS AND CONS OF SOUTH DAKOTA GOV. KRISTI NOEM

He argued that, although firing up the base wasn’t the main purpose in a choice for running mate, there was no “overwhelming cry” from Republicans across the country for Burgum to be the pick. 

“Again, that shouldn’t necessarily be a decider, but there’s no wow factor to him,” Polyansky said.

Veteran Republican strategist Karl Rove agreed Burgum’s name recognition was also a problem and that he’s “from a small, heavily Republican state” when the battle for the presidency could come down to who wins over voters in the battlegrounds of Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Wisconsin.

Rove also predicted Burgum’s wealth could “make him a target for the left.”

WATCH:  POSSIBLE TRUMP VP PICK MAKES MAJOR PREDICTION ABOUT BLACK VOTERS AS BIDEN BLEEDS SUPPORT

Republican strategist Erin Perrine told Fox “the downsides to Burgum’s selection are not deeply controversial given other possible selections the former president could make” but agreed with Rove that Burgum hailing from a reliably red state with a small population wouldn’t impact the electoral map.

“Some might argue that other potential candidates could bring more expertise, higher visibility or diversity to the ticket, leading to doubts about Burgum’s suitability as a VP nominee,” she said. She added Burgum declaring last year he wouldn’t serve as Trump’s running mate, as well as the possibility he might face intensified media scrutiny regarding his absence from North Dakota over the past year, would likely complicate his selection.

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum encourages voters to support Republican presidential candidate and former President Trump during a campaign rally in the basement ballroom of The Margate Resort Jan. 22, 2024, in Laconia, N.H. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“It doesn’t take much for the media to pounce, and campaigning as a sitting governor has proven difficult for others running for other offices before,” she said.

Others were more blunt when it came to the possibility of Burgum’s selection, including a source close to the Trump campaign who said there was “more downside than upside there,” citing the concerns over his name recognition and being from North Dakota.

“If I had to rank him, I’d put him in the top five, maybe five or six, but not any higher,” the source said.

GOP pollster Scott Rasmussen simply told Fox, “I see no reason why Gov. Burgum should even be in the discussion other than media speculation. The fact that Trump featured him at the recent rally is interesting, but I suspect the governor will play some other role in the campaign.”

Burgum, despite those concerns, does have a number of strong qualities experts said could provide a boost to Trump, including his record as the chief executive of a state and as a business leader.

TRUMP’S POTENTIAL RUNNING MATES TO COMPETE FOR APPROVAL AT MAJOR CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE AS SPECULATION SWIRLS

Former President Trump, a Republican presidential candidate, attends the annual Lincoln Reagan Dinner hosted by the Minnesota Republican Party May 17, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn.  (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

“Burgum is a successful two-term governor of a major energy- and agricultural-producing state who’s championed education reform, tax cuts and government reform,” Rove said. “He’s also built a tech company — Great Plains Software — in the Midwest heartland, which he sold to Microsoft, becoming a top executive with the company before entering politics.”

Polyansky said one of the most “compelling” reasons to have Burgum’s name on the ticket was because of his television presence.

“He’s proven himself over the last month to be a great, very agile and pretty effective communicator,” he said. “Burgum’s shown that he can do some good in terms of his ability to communicate and drive a message.”

Perrine said Burgum’s “no-drama, no-nonsense demeanor has boosted the economy and safety of North Dakota,” and that being a “businessman-turned-governor” was “a mirror to Trump that the former president would appreciate.” 

The source close to Trump’s campaign praised the governor as “a vote getter.”

“He’s a decent man,” the source said.

From left to right: House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina. All have been floated as possible vice presidential running mates for former President Trump. (Getty Images)

A number of other big names have also been floated to join Trump on the Republican ticket, including South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

Trump, who spent most of his week sitting on trial in a New York City courtroom while President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are free to hit the campaign trail, is still weighing his running mate options. He suggested last week he might even wait until the July Republican National Convention in Milwaukee to name his pick.

Fox News Digital has reached out to representatives of Burgum for comment.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Eric Hovde has, from the looks of it, a pretty swell life.

The banking executive is a millionaire many times over. He owns an ocean-view mansion in Laguna Beach and was named by the Orange County Business Journal for three years running as one of the county’s most influential individuals.

Yet for more than a decade, Hovde, 60, has had a hankering to hold political office. Normally, this is where we’d insert the long litany of rich folk — Michael Huffington, Al Checchi, Meg Whitman among them — who’ve tried and face-planted in their bid to get elected statewide in California.

But Hovde isn’t running here: He’s the leading Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin. It’s where Hovde was born and raised — though, save for an unsuccessful Senate run in 2012, he’s been pretty scarce there the past several years.

Hovde’s opponent is Democrat Tammy Baldwin, who’s running for a third term and starts as a favorite — though not an overwhelming one — to win reelection. In recent years, Wisconsin has replaced Florida as perhaps the most competitive swing state in America.

“We’re deeply polarized by party,” said Charles Franklin, a pollster at Wisconsin’s Marquette University, who notes several contests have been decided in the last decade by exceedingly close margins.

It’s vital for Democrats to hold onto Baldwin’s seat in November if they stand any chance of keeping their bare Senate majority. So naturally they’ve sought to turn Hovde’s California ties into a major campaign issue.

They’ve posted billboards and created a website linking Hovde, or, rather, “California bank owner Eric Hovde (R-Laguna Beach),” to a luxe life of champagne and pleasure. A TV spot — crashing surf, sparkling wine and, of course, palm trees — ends with a rhetorical question: “Eric Hovde on Wisconsin’s side? Don’t bank on it.”

That attempt at California-shaming amounts to a role reversal of sorts. Typically, it’s Republicans in red states like Texas who wield the Golden State as a weapon, turning Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi into demon figureheads.

However, it’s not the state’s left-leaning politicians that Democrats are trying to yoke around Hovde’s neck. Rather, they’re trying to raise doubts about his relatability.

“There are rich people in Wisconsin who have multiple homes, too,” said Lilly Goren, who teaches political science at Waukesha’s Carroll University. “But if you spend most of your time out in California where you don’t have to deal with snow and rain and sleet and it’s always sunny, we think you’re living a little bit of a different life.”

Hovde insists he’s a Wisconsinite down to the tips of his toes, which he sank not long ago into Madison’s frozen Lake Mendota. (Actually, he plunged in chest-deep.)

“So the Dems and Sen. Baldwin keep saying I’m not from Wisconsin, which is a complete joke,” a shirtless Hovde said, mid-dip, in a social media post that has been viewed more than 1 million times.

”!!Warning,” the post reads. “Not safe for Californians and career politicians!!”

Brrr.

In an interview last year with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, before Hovde launched his candidacy, he “guffawed with amusement” when asked if he was spending the bulk of his time in California or Wisconsin.

“I’m born in Wisconsin, raised in Wisconsin and graduated from the University of Wisconsin,” Hovde told the newspaper. “My home is Wisconsin. I have a business in Wisconsin. So that’s my response.”

The business, Hovde Properties, is a Madison-based real estate company founded by his grandfather. Hovde is also chairman and CEO of Irvine-based H Bancorp and its chief subsidiary, Sunwest Bank.

Since entering the race, Hovde has adopted a nothing-to-see-here approach to questions about his residency — even as he immerses in ice water and exults over the “fantastic fun” of ax-throwing, another moment shared on social media, as a way of bolstering his Badger State bona fides.

Lately, however, the California question has been overshadowed by remarks Hovde made about older voters, who happen to make up a sizable chunk of Wisconsin’s electorate. (A quarter of residents are 60 or older; nearly 1 in 5 are 65 and up.)

Hinting at irregularities in the 2020 election — which seems to be the price of admission to the GOP these days — Hovde repeated bogus claims of widespread voting fraud at Wisconsin nursing homes. In doing so, he questioned the capacity of elderly residents to coherently cast their ballot.

“If you’re in a nursing home, you only have a five-, six-month life expectancy,” Hovde said in a talk-radio interview. “Almost nobody in a nursing home is at a point to vote.”

Which is one way to address the Democratic advantage among seniors — you could simply disenfranchise them — though, for the record, Hovde later clarified his statement by saying, “I think elderly absolutely should vote.”

Unfortunately for Hovde, even as he worked to clean up that political mess, Sunwest Bank was named as co-defendant in a wrongful-death lawsuit targeting a Southern California senior living facility that the bank partly owns. A Hovde spokesperson said neither the bank nor Hovde were involved in the facility’s day-to-day operations.

All in all, that’s made for pretty rough going for Hovde, though there is some consolation should his Senate bid fall short. He still has that mansion awaiting him back in Laguna Beach.

Happy to troll Hovde, Wisconsin’s Democratic Party rounded up cast members of the “Real Housewives of Orange County,” who sent their best wishes in a video and said they dearly miss their sometime-neighbor.

“Cannot wait, just like your friends, for you to come back,” said cast member Gina Kirschenheiter.

“Be back safe, enjoy your journey,” said Vicki Gunvalson, the self-proclaimed “OG of the OC.” Blowing a kiss, she added, “Don’t forget to whoop it while you’re in Wisconsin. Have some cheese curds.”

Which just goes to show, the stereotypes and trash-talking run both ways.