"We have an honor and a duty to make sure that equality exists for everyone," said Paterson, who was flanked by a crowd of elected officials, union leaders and gay activists.

"...We have all known the wrath of discrimination. We have all felt the pain and insult of discrimination. That is why we are standing here today."

"We stand to tell the world that we want equality for everyone. We stand to tell the world that we want marriage equality in New York State...It's time to take a stand."

Paterson said he understands the "trepidation and the anxiety" that some feel over the potential lack of sufficient votes to pass his bill in the Senate.

But he rejected the idea that he should wait until the bill is certain of passing to introduce it, noting that the measure is identical to the one former Gov. Eliot Spitzer sent to the Legislature during his first year in office.

Spitzer's bill passed the Assembly, but was never taken up by the Senate, which was then under GOP control.

"I read today that I'm rushing things. I'm rushing things by re-releasing a bill that the former governor released in 2007? What is going on with the world right now?

"...I'm hearing things I can't believe," Paterson continued. "We have to wait until we talk to Republicans? Don't you think we've talked to them before? We've got to wait until we poll in the district? You don't think we've doe that?"

Assemblymember Daniel O'Donnell, who is the bill's sponsor in the Assembly, was asked if he was worried about the timing of the bill, when Senate passage is not ensured, might help Republicans take back the chamber.

"In the history of the United States of America, no state legislator has lost his or her job because they voted for marriage equality," he said, noting that Republicans who voted for the Assembly bill remained in office. "They can bring on as much money as they want. In the end, legislators are paid to make responsible decisions for what is best for the people."

When the marriage bill passed in the State Assembly in 2007, Governor Paterson played an instrumental role in securing the needed votes in the moments leading up to the floor debate. The bill passed by a bipartisan vote of 85-61 and every single Assemblymember who voted for marriage on that night-Democrat and Republican-won their reelection last November. The Assembly and the Governor are on record in support of this bill, and recent opinion polls have showed that a majority of New Yorkers support same-sex marriage legislation. —staff