Chicago ? U.S. Sen. Barack Obama took a tiny step closer to revealing his intentions about running for president Monday, adding a “very” to the “soon” in his assessment about when an announcement would come.

“We will have an announcement very soon,” Obama, D-Ill., said outside St. Mark Cathedral in Harvey, Ill., after delivering an emotional keynote speech to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth.

Prefacing his address in the church, Obama turned to an array of media crews and declared that he was “not making news today” about a potential run for the Oval Office.

In recent weeks, Obama has been seeking advice from a widening circle of political advisers and hiring new staff in key primary states, leading political analysts to surmise that he is about to formally launch a presidential bid.