Here are a couple reasons. I’m sure others will chime in with more. First, Palin is not going to rely on big money donations from the Republican Establishment. Donations will be from grassroots supporters. Every day she is not in the race is a day she is not spending money. Second, she’s letting the press vet Perry a little more before she steps into the room and sucks up all the oxygen.
Correct, there need not be any $10,000 a plate rubber chicken dinners for the Palin campaign. Let Romney and Perry hold those. All Palin has to do is launch a donation app on her website and watch the money roll in from the grass roots. A few million people throwing in a few bucks will raise $50m or more in a week or two.
I plan to set up a monthly donation as soon as the website is launched and will keep it going throughout her entire campaign.
As you point out, one big reason for getting in early is to nail down the big money donations. The little people for the most part are holding onto their money until they see a candidate who excites them. Ron Paul has a bunch of fans who are excited by him, but the rest of the declared candidates do not.