I believe that how the President treated Trump was how he planned to treat the Republican front runner. The issue of his birth certificate was strung along so that it could be part of a “got-ya” ploy. Such a powerful smack down was worth the millions in court cases until it could be used.
THANKFULLY, it wasn’t used against the real Republican candidate and we should be grateful to Trump for tripping this trap so soon into the election cycle.
However, Obama will use it to paint the Republicans as nut cases anyhow. It just won’t be as convincing as it would have been if Trump hadn’t called him on it so early.
I'm not sure as to the authenticity of this latest BC, but I do think you're right. Obama was hoping to play the BC "Card" much closer to the election. Trump forced him to waste it early.