Reports of Death Were Greatly Exagerrated?

OK, I don't know if the Twain quote applies exactly but it does appear now that the horror stories of snipers, sharks swimming the streets, murder, rape and stacks of dead bodies at the Superdome and New Orleans Convention Center in the wake of Hurricane Katrina were somewhat exaggerated.

But one also wonders if this is a subtle spin by burned emergency management officials, "Well, you see...it wasn't THAT bad." Still, there were thousands of poor, hungry, tired and elderly Americans who could not get out of those places or get supplies because of poor planning and poor response.

Says the LA Times: "The wild rumors filled the vacuum and seemed to gain credence with each retelling — that an infant's body had been found in a trash can, that sharks from Lake Pontchartrain were swimming through the business district, that hundreds of bodies had been stacked in the Superdome basement."

UPDATE: And left-leaning media criticism blog Pre$$titutes says the rash of "myth" stories has the smell of right-wing spin...with folks like Drudge ("Media Made Mess of Storm News") offering the stories as proof of the "liberal media" once again out to get the Bush Administration.

Says Pre$$titutes: "But it wasn't those tall tales that had everyone up in arms. Americans were enraged that evacuees were left hopeless, homeless, hungry, thirsty, and without adequate medical attention for so long in the heart of a major American city. And this, four years after 9/11 and in full view of terrorists who now know we’re woefully unprepared when it comes to a domestic disaster of this magnitude."

Katrina Takes a Toll on Truth, News Accuracy [Los Angeles Times]
Michelle Pilecki: Superdome Mayhem an Urban Myth [The Huffington Post]
Media Made Mess of Storm News [The Drudge Report]
Who You Gonna Believe, Me or Your Lying Eyes? [Pre$$titutes]