Trump ropes-in Obama's half-brother to final prez debate

Seeking to put the Democrats on the back foot, Donald Trump has roped-in President Barack Obama's Kenyan-born half-brother to be his guest at the third and final presidential debate here, US media rep

Las Vegas, Oct 19: Seeking to put the Democrats on the back foot, Donald Trump has roped-in President Barack Obama's Kenyan-born half-brother to be his guest at the third and final presidential debate here, US media reported today.

Hillary Clinton will be joined at the prime-time debate by two well-known billionaires who are backing her campaign, in what may be an attempt to rattle Trump, the controversial Republican nominee by subtly questioning his own net worth.

Meg Whitman, the Hewlett-Packard CEO and former Republican California gubernatorial candidate, and Mark Cuban, the outspoken billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks, will both be Clinton's guests at Wednesday's third and final presidential debate, CNN reported.

Meanwhile, Trump is countering with Malik, President Obama's half-brother and a ghost from Clinton's past: Patricia Smith, the mother of Benghazi victim Sean Smith, who has accused the former secretary of state of "murdering" her son.

The New York Post first reported Trump's invitation to Obama's half-brother. The Post also reported that Malik Obama called now-deceased Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi one of his best friends -- a potential source of awkwardness for Smith.

Malik Obama, who was born in Kenya and is an American citizen, voiced his support for Trump in July, saying he hoped to meet the Republican nominee. Trump's feelings are mutual. "I look very much forward to meeting and being with Malik," Trump said today.

"He gets it far better than his brother." Malik Obama shares the same father with the president but has a different mother. He told the Post that he blames Clinton, who was secretary of state at the time Gadaffi was toppled and killed, for making the situation worse in Libya.

Clinton invited both Cuban and Whitman, campaign spokeswoman Jennifer Palmieri said, and the duo agreed to attend. Whitman, a longtime Republican, endorsed Clinton earlier this year, saying in a statement that she would vote for and donate to Clinton.

Since then, Whitman has headlined events for Clinton and contributed a considerable amount of money to her campaign. Cuban sat in the front row at Clinton's first debate against Trump, a move that was intended to shake the Republican nominee because the Dallas Mavericks owner has been so outspoken against the businessman.

Trump lashed out at Cuban for attending the debate with Clinton, calling him "dopey." At the second presidential debate, Trump appeared with three women who have in the past accused former President Bill Clinton of inappropriate sexual behavior as part of an effort to rattle Hillary Clinton. Trump invited Kathleen Willey, Juanita Broaddrick, Paula Jones and another woman, Kathy Shelton, whose alleged rapist was defended by Clinton as a young lawyer.

PTI