Trump's Gennifer Flowers invite 'mocked' Clinton campaign

Donald Trump's threat that he could invite Gennifer Flowers to Monday's presidential debate was intended to "mock" Hillary Clinton's campaign, according to his running-mate.

Mike Pence said Ms Flowers - who claimed in the early 1990s she had a long-running affair with Bill Clinton when he was Arkansas governor - would not be attending the contest.

But Mr Pence also said the Republican presidential nominee floated the invitation idea to make fun of their rival camp's efforts to distract voters by "playing games with front row seats".

The controversy over the US billionaire property tycoon's 'invite' to Ms Flowers as a guest at the first debate in New York on Monday night began a few days ago.

Outspoken Trump critic and owners of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team, Mark Cuban, tweeted on Thursday: "Just got a front row seat to watch @HillaryClinton overwhelm @realDonaldTrump."

A Clinton aide later confirmed the Democratic campaign had invited Mr Cuban, which led to Mr Trump to tweet on Saturday he could invite Ms Flowers to the debate at Hofstra University.

Mr Trump said: "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!"

But Indiana governor and Republican vice-presidential candidate Mr Pence told Fox News Sunday: "Gennifer Flowers will not be there.

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"The tweet was actually mocking efforts by Hillary Clinton and her campaign to distract voters."

He also criticised Mr Cuban for "saying some pretty tough stuff about my running-mate".

In 1998, Mrs Clinton's husband Bill, then US president, admitted he had a sexual encounter with former model Ms Flowers.

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