The first presidential debate is getting nasty days before the candidates take the stage.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump threatened Saturday to bring former Bill Clinton mistress Gennifer Flowers to Monday evening’s debate to sit in front of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Then, hours later on Twitter. Ms. Flowers accepted the invitation.
The threat was a retaliation against Mrs. Clinton for supplying a front-row ticket for Mark Cuban, a billionaire businessman and outspoken Trump foe, suggesting it will throw Mr. Trump off his game in the debate at Hofstra University in New York.
“If dopey Mark Cuban of failed Benefactor fame wants to sit in the front row, perhaps I will put Gennifer Flowers right alongside of him!” tweeted Mr. Trump.
Saturday afternoon Ms. Flowers responded on Twitter: “Hi Donald. You know I’m in your corner and will definitely be at the debate!…[emoji of lipstick-kiss mark]”
Ms. Flowers came forward during Mr. Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign to claim that she had a 12-year affair with him, including producing a secretly recorded telephone conversation with Mr. Clinton.
Mrs. Clinton famously defended her husband as she sat beside him in a “60 Minutes” interview and declared: “I’m not sitting here some little woman standing by my man like Tammy Wynette, I’m sitting here because I love him and I respect him.”
The interview helped save Mr. Clinton’s campaign.
Mr. Clinton admitted years later in a deposition to a sexual encounter with Ms. Flowers.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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