The issue focused on there being the potential for federal education spending to take a hit in 2016.

"We do not want to get into the climate science denier business and have people think that we are less open-minded about science," Obama said. "If you're going to say something, at least be honest."

He also noted that research has shown that science education is already working.

"It's what scientists use as their scientific base to study things like climate change and evolution and