Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he didn’t talk to President Obama about supporting same-sex marriage, saying it isn’t his place to advise anyone whose views might be evolving on the matter.

But with Cuomo at his side yesterday it again called to mind that the president’s stance on same-sex marriage is in the process of shifting while New York’s executive, with gusto, successfully led an effort to push for the legalization of the rights last year.

Cuomo said it was “an intensely personal decision.”

“If you’re in the middle of the evolution, I don’t know if you know you’re in the middle of the evolution,” Cuomo said. “I don’t know if you really can help someone or talk it through with someone. I think people get facts, they become informed, peoples’ opinions evolve, opinions change, sometimes they don’t. I don’t think it’s for me to counsel anyone on this issue.”

Vice President Joe Biden, along with several cabinet secretaries, say they support same-sex marriage rights, throwing into sharp contrast Obama’s unclear view on the issue.

“I leave that to the president,” Cuomo said.

The governor has hoped that the successful push for gay marriage in New York would lead to a wave of approval across the country.

But while the conversation over the issue has increased, the wave hasn’t happened just yet. Voters on Tuesday in the swing state of North Carolina — where the Democratic National Convention will be held this summer — approved the banning of same-sex marriage in a referendum.

And while Obama says he was “disappointed” in the result, Cuomo today said he understood the need for self-determination for states.

“I believe in states’ rights,” Cuomo said. “I would like to see a place where this law is accepted all across the nation. I’ve advocated as such, I don’t know if the solution should be the federal government telling people what to do. I think the American people will get there and I think they’re on the road to getting there.”

It’s a nuanced stance for Cuomo, who as a governor, would want to support at least in theory of leaving provisions like marriage up to states (Texas Gov. Rick Perry became embroiled in the reverse of this issue when he was running for president).

“Obviously I believe the actions of this state speak loudly,” Cuomo said. “I think the action that we took is a forceful action nationwide. I think the influence of New York is being felt.”

As to whether he would sign on to a campaign pushing for a pro-gay marriage plank at the convention this summer — as NY state Chairman Jay Jacobs has — Cuomo said that decision was up to the national party.

There’s also speculation as to whether he’ll campaign for Cuomo, which, as Casey Seiler pointed at out at the Q and A, could be potentially awkward if the president hasn’t clarified his stance.

“I’m sure that’s one of the factors that they’ll calculate,” Cuomo said.

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