Metro

Rudy in gov’s corner

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Gov. Cuomo, whose legislative victories this year have fueled speculation about a 2016 run for the White House, won a ringing endorsement for his work in Albany from an unlikely corner, Republican Rudy Giuliani.

The former mayor and 2008 GOP candidate for the White House said yesterday that Cuomo has brought leadership to Albany that has been lacking for decades.

“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,” Giuliani said of passage of the gay-marriage bill that required bipartisan support to succeed.

“For the first time in a long time, we’re seeing leadership at the gubernatorial level in New York in a lot of areas . . . and I think it’s a good sign for a lot of other things the governor can do.”

Giuliani’s praise of Cuomo came as he attended a golf outing for Joe Torre’s Safe at Home Foundation at the Trump National Golf Club in Briarcliff Manor yesterday.

With the political spotlight shining brightly on Cuomo, the governor yesterday insisted he’s focusing like a laser on his job as governor — but didn’t close the door on a future White House run. Asked on Albany Talk Radio 1300 AM whether he was ruling out a White House bid, he said, “No.”

But he added, “I’m not going to engage in this conversation or fuel this speculation.”

Cuomo said he had a “ton of work to do” as governor. He said he will soon name the six prisons slated for closure and decide whether the state should support a new type of deep drilling called hydrofracking to capture natural gas.

But other Democrats said Cuomo has become a national star for winning passage of same-sex marriage rights.

“In one fell swoop, Cuomo has accomplished what every politician wants to accomplish but rarely does. That’s establishing a ‘courage brand,’ ” said Democratic consultant Chris Lehane, a former top White House adviser to both Bill Clinton and Al Gore.

Aside from expanding civil rights to gays, Lehane said Democrats — and voters in general — are taking note that Cuomo is governing in a fiscally conservative and responsible manner.

“He’s being perceived as someone who is fiscally accountable with warm blood,” Lehane said.

Even Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro, a registered Conservative Party member who opposes gay marriage, said he was writing Cuomo a congratulatory note for a “remarkable” rookie legislative session.

“He’s had the best opening session in last 50 years. No question,” Molinaro said.

fredric.dicker@nypost.com