Giuliani on Gay Marriage Law: 'Very Glad to See Burden of Discrimination Lifted'; Credits Cuomo for Showing 'A Lot of Leadership'

(NBC VIDEO) Giuliani: Gay Marriage Law Relieves Burden of Discrimination

Celeste Katz of the New York Daily News reports:

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani hasn't changed his stance on same-sex marriage, but says he's glad for those who no longer feel like the targets of discrimination.

"My thoughts are that I'm glad that people who felt discriminated against have sort of had that burden of discrimination lifted. I signed the first civil-union, domestic partnership bill I think in the country. Maybe it was the second. And I still take a lot of criticism for that," said 2008 GOP presidential hopeful Giuliani at Joe Torre's Safe at Home Foundation golf outing at Trump National Golf Club in Briarcliff Manor. 

"I still state that marriage is being defined between a man and a woman, but I can truly understand what people are striving for. And as someone who signed civil unions and domestic partnerships, that's probably my preference," Giuliani said, according to our Peter Botte.

"But I was very glad to see people relieved of this burden of discrimination, which is a terrible thing to feel... 

"And I think Gov. Cuomo deserves a lot of credit. Even if you don't agree with the result, it showed a lot of leadership to execute the result. For the first time in a long time, we're seeing leadership at the gubernatorial level in New York, including expenses and a lot of systematic control of government and I think that's a good sign for a lot of other things the governor can do."

In other Rudy-related news...

POLITICO's Maggie Haberman reports:

Rudy Giuliani is set to return to New Hampshire on July 14 for a two-day visit, sources confirmed. 

The trip, first reported by New Hampshire scoop machine James Pindell, will include a speech to a luncheon hosted by the Seacoast Republican Women, as well as a string of other private meetings. 

It will be Giuliani's sixth Granite State trip since his 2008 run, and falls as he's debating his future in the 2012 cycle, with a loose, self-set deadline of end of summer for making a decision.