Carney: Obama to ‘mention’ N.Y. marriage bill, but won’t endorse it

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said on Thursday that President Obama plans to “mention” during an LGBT fundraiser later in the evening a pending marriage equality bill in the New York Legislature, but won’t come out either for or against the legislation.

Carney said the president will maintain the marriage issue should be something left to the states to decide. Many political observers believe New York is on the cusp of legalizing same-sex marriage and the necessary 32 votes are secured in the Republican-controlled State Senate to move forward with the legislation.

A brief transcript follows of the exchange the reporter and Carney. The exchange took place during an off-camera press gaggle aboard Air Force One en route to Fort Drum, N.Y.

Reporter: At the gay and lesbian fundraiser tonight, is the president going to address the pending vote in the New York State Senate on gay marriage?

Jay Carney: I’m sure he will mention it and I think make the point that, as he always has, that he believes that this is something that states should be able to decide. And that’s one of the reasons, because of the — that the President believes that we should withdraw from our participation in DOMA cases, because he believed it was unconstitutional.

Reporter: Is he going to endorse the bill, the New York bill?

Jay Carney: He’s not going to make any new declarations of a position. He’s simply going to address it.