Joe Kennedy III had to explain away his "drool" after his State of the Union response, but ChapStick says he shouldn't be making excuses ... 'cause he applied the product perfectly.
A rep for the company -- which is said to be the culprit for the congressman's extra shiny finish Tuesday night -- says Kennedy did NOT go overboard with the product.
The spokesperson says ChapStick "encourages generous application of our products," adding that it appears JK3 "took our advice to heart and put his lips first."
Translation: They love the plug.