The Republicans have their panties all in a bunch over a comment that Senator John Kerry made while speaking to a group of college students. As covered by the Seattle Times today, Kerry has apologized ‘for a botched joke’.

Here is what Kerry said:

“You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq.”

President Bush responded:

Kerry’s suggestion “that the men and women of our military are somehow uneducated is insulting and it is shameful,” Bush said at an appearance in Georgia tonight. “The members of the United States military are plenty smart. And they are plenty brave. And the senator from Massachusetts owes them an apology.”

So, what are the facts? I don’t know. I can’t find anything that seems to be unbiased.

But here is what I think. I believe that the U.S. military largely consists of young people who after high school are faced with the depressing prospect of a life time working for the local factory, or more likely the local Wal-Mart. There is probably no money available for college, so the promise of a free college education seems like a pretty good offer.

So, did Kerry offend people? Probably. Did he give good advice to the students he was speaking to? Definitely.