The White House Press Secretary on Trump's push to reopen schools: "The science should not stand in the way of this."

McEnany reiterated President Trump's strong stance on wanting children to be going back to school in the fall amid a fiery debate about how educators can prevent the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.

"The science should not stand in the way of this, but as Dr. Scott Atlas said -- I thought this was a good quote, 'Of course, we can do it. Everyone else in the Western world, our peer nations are doing it. We are the outlier here,'" McEnany said, quoting the former Stanford Medical Center neurology chief.

"The science is very clear on this. For example, you look at the JAMA pediatric study of 46 pediatric hospitals in North America that said the risk of critical illness from COVID is far less for children than the seasonal flu. The science is on our side here. We encourage localities and states to just simply follow the science. Open our schools," she continued.

After playing a clip of that exchange on his show, Tapper corrected CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who knocked the press secretary for having an "alternative facts kind of moment."

"If I could just say, Sanjay," Tapper interjected. "I think she was just trying to say that the science shouldn't stand in the way because the science is on our side. I don't know that all of the science is on their side- and certainly, this White House, their respect for science knows bounds, let's put it that way, but I think that's what she was getting at."

.@drsanjaygupta on WH assertion that science is on the side of opening schools pic.twitter.com/Js8EZBQ7aK

— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) July 16, 2020

However, Dr. Gupta wasn't the only CNN journalist to misinterpret McEnany.

CNN's chief anti-Trump reporter Jim Acosta tweeted about what McEnany said by suggesting she was anti-science.

"The White House Press Secretary on Trump's push to reopen schools: 'The science should not stand in the way of this,'" the liberal reporter tweeted.

Acosta later added, "McEnany went on to say 'the science is on our side here.'"

The White House Press Secretary on Trump's push to reopen schools: "The science should not stand in the way of this."

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) July 16, 2020

His misleading tweet, though, went on to get nearly 40,000 retweets while his follow-up tweet that provided the much-needed context received less than 800.

Among those who shared Acosta's initial tweet include CNN national security analyst Sam Vinograd, CNN contributor Paul Begala, CNN analyst Max Boot, and CNN analyst Brian Karem.

His misleading tweet, though, went on to get nearly 40,000 retweets while his follow-up tweet that provided the much-needed context received less than 800.

Among those who shared Acosta's initial tweet include CNN national security analyst Sam Vinograd, CNN contributor Paul Begala, CNN analyst Max Boot, and CNN analyst Brian Karem.

Folks read the ENTIRE McEnany comment about "the science should not stand in the way" of opening schools. She's arguing that the science is on the side of those who want to open them, she cites a JAMA study. I'm not taking a position on the matter but be fair.

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 16, 2020

He’s right, here’s what she actually said:

MS. MCENANY: You know, the President has said unmistakably that he wants schools to open. And I was just in the Oval talking to him about that. And when he says open, he means open in full — kids being able to attend each and every day at their school.

The science should not stand in the way of this. And as Dr. Scott Atlas said — I thought this was a good quote — “Of course, we can [do it]. Everyone else in the…Western world, our peer nations are doing it. We are the outlier here.”

The science is very clear on this, that — you know, for instance, you look at the JAMA Pediatrics study of 46 pediatric hospitals in North America that said the risk of critical illness from COVID is far less for children than that of seasonal flu.

The science is on our side here, and we encourage for localities and states to just simply follow the science, open our schools. It’s very damaging to our children: There is a lack of reporting of abuse; there’s mental depressions that are not addressed; suicidal ideations that are not addressed when students are not in school. Our schools are extremely important, they’re essential, and they must reopen.

Now, lest I leave you with a false impression, here’s the second tweet from Tapper right after the one above:

2/ Before the familiar voices jump on this to score whatever political points they want, the facts are also clear that the president has ignored science and health experts far too many times and the US response is empirically a failure compared to the rest of the Western world.

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 16, 2020