New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has recorded a robo-call paid for by The Democratic State Committee in support of marriage equality, the Times-Union reports.

The script of the call:

Hello, I’m Governor Andrew Cuomo.

There is a pressing issue of basic fairness and civil rights in New York…and that is marriage equality.
Without the ability to marry, same-sex couples and their families are denied over one thousand federal and state rights such as visiting a spouse in a hospital in the event of illness.

It makes same-sex couples second tier citizens who receive less protection and have fewer rights than others.

This is not a Democratic or Republican issue. It is a question of New York going forward or backward.

It’s hard to imagine today, but at one time in this country it was illegal for blacks and whites to marry each other. We have come a long way and now it is time to go further — to achieve marriage equality for all New Yorkers.
I urge you to call your State legislators and ask them to vote for equality – marriage equality- for all New Yorkers.

Thank you.

Lt. Governor Robert Duffy spoke at today's Equality & Justice lobbying day in Albany, Politics on the Hudson reports.

According to their report, Duffy used the term "sexual preference" in his speech of support. Hopefully someone will offer him a correction on that.

“Sexual preference for somebody, it’s not a choice … it’s who we are, it is part of our being."

He added: "This is not a political issue. This is not about Republicans and Democrats. Marriage equality is an issue of civil rights, a basic issue of civil rights."

Cuomo was not attending the lobby day in Albany. Empire State Pride Agenda Executive Director Ross Levi said he and other advocates did not take offense at Cuomo's absence.