Whoops, I missed that Baracus said what I said first.
Well that would be the layering part of the discussion.
That 31%–by far Fred’s best electoral showing–still left him 38% behind an essentially no-name candidate in a contest for who was going to lose big to Bob Dole.
Jesse Ventura (previously a mayor) won with 37% in a three-way general election including Norm Coleman, who had then only recently rediscovered himself as a particularly mealy-mouthed Republican.
I had forgotten about the 3 way mess. Thanks.
I think we have an answer for “why now?”
Obama couldn’t have asked for a better response:
Trump: “I have accomplished something nobody else has accomplished.”
Obama: “So have I.” [cue dead OBL] 
Either that, or Trump was taking the credit for Obama being in a good mood and throwing the birthers a bone.
He knew the next news cycle. That’s beyond Machivellian.