power of the free press

A Harley rider is passing the zoo, when he sees a little girl leaning
into the lion's cage. Suddenly, the lion grabs her by the cuff of her
jacket and tries to pull her inside to slaughter her, under the eyes of
her screaming parents. The biker jumps off his bike, runs to the cage
and hits the lion square on the nose with a powerful punch. Whimpering
from the pain the lion jumps back letting go of the girl, and the biker
brings her to her terrified parents, who thank him endlessly. A New York
Times reporter has watched the whole event.

The reporter says, 'Sir, this was the most gallant and brave thing I saw
a man do in my whole life.' The biker replies, 'Why, it was nothing,
really, the lion was behind bars. I just saw this little kid in danger,
and acted as I felt right.'

The reporter says, 'Well, I'm a journalist from the New York Times, and
tomorrow's paper will have this story on the front page...So, what do
you do for a living and what political affiliation do you have?'

The biker replies, 'I'm a U.S. Marine and a Republican.'

The following morning the biker buys The New York Times to see if it
indeed brings news of his actions, and reads, on front page:

U. S. MARINE ASSAULTS AFRICAN IMMIGRANT
AND STEALS HIS LUNCH