I was wondering if you'd go there, but thought not. Then you surprise me. Rather than tell you how you're wrong with the knowledge that most anyone would accept the simple explanation, I'll go right into the more in-depth one.
Trump is running in large part on his abilities as a well-regarded and successful business man. Mark Cuban, who is actually a very successful business man (much, much more successful than Trump). Cuban also argues against Trump's business acumen. His view is pertinent.
No it's not. First of all, Cuban is no great businessman himself. He's something of a clown. His first success was selling a crappy internet startup to Compuserve. His second was selling Broadcast.com at a wildly inflated valuation to Yahoo at the height of the internet bubble. Compuserve and Yahoo - 'nuff said. Since then, he has basically been treading water wealth wise. His feud started with Trump when Trump disparaged
The Benefactor, which was Cuban's failed copycat of Trump's successful reality show
The Apprentice. Honestly, given Cuban's behavior as the owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team, and his recent trolling of Trump, I don't see how Cuban is any less of a jackass than Trump is. Second of all, at this point I would have to say Trump is far more successful than Cuban. Cuban might have more money, but Trump has a 40% chance of becoming the most powerful person on the planet. And Cuban's lack of political power is not do to a lack of desire. He simply knows that he wouldn't get very far if he tried to jump into the political arena.
His status alone explains why he might be in the audience. His fame and the reasons for his interests don't need additional justification. That he's a vocal critic of Trump is not the only plausible reason he's going to be there (although obviously it is the reason he's going to be there).
His status might explain why he would be in the audience, but given that he was bragging about being in the front row, given his trolling of Trump, given his behavior when he is in the front row at Dallas Mavericks basketball games, I think it's pretty clear what his reason for being there is. And it would put Trump at a disadvantage. Hell, what's to stop Cuban from actually disrupting the debate? Even the prospect of him disrupting the debate is disruptive. And, his presence also gives the press an opportunity to opine on his opinions of Trump while a large fraction of the electorate is watching. Balancing that with an equivalently provocative invitation is a perfectly logical strategy for Trump.
Hillary Clinton is running in large part on her husband's fidelity. Wait, no, that's absurd and stupid. She's running on her ability to pick quality sexual partners. Wait, no, that's also absurd and stupid. She's running on her husband's ability to pick quality sexual partners. Wait, no, that's also absurd and stupid. Flowers' experience is simply not related to the race.
Sure it is. Bill is not just Hillary's husband by the way. He is her political partner. Hillary played an active role in defending Bill (and using dishonesty and threats to do so), and Bill has played an active role in Hillary's campaign and will likely play an active role in her administration, if she wins. Furthermore, the Gennifer Flowers scandal represents the first time, but by no means the last time, that Hillary lied to the American people on national TV. It's a fresh reminder of Hillary's character as much as Bill's.
No, it won't. It will force negotiations to move Cuban to a less conspicuous area of the debate audience, or not show up at all. You'll see.