Have you looked at the primary dates in 2012? Several are set to go in January. It could be settled by March. If you're running, you better be taking in funds. You'll need it to get your message out, to differentiate yourself from the rest, to set up a ground-game in early states, to conduct and defend against opposition research. You can't just show up in September and expect a winning campaign to materialize from thin air.
“You can’t just show up in September and expect a winning campaign to materialize from thin air....”
I didn’t say or imply to wait until September. I said the next FEC accounting period starts July 1, so there would be no reason to declare before that if you are capable of raising a lot of money and there are a handful of undeclared potential candidates that could raise that kind of money very quickly. Regardless, I don’t think the time frame is as important this election as it has been before.