Katrina fatalities reach 710

Of course, all the dead have not been counted, but already conservatives are crowing, "See, it wasn't as bad as everyone was predicting." Thank God it appears the numbers may not be as awful as anticipated. But to put it even these 710 in perspective, here are the U.S. fatality numbers for previous disasters of the past 40 years:

2004 Hurricane Jeanne - 28 dead
2004 Hurricane Ivan - 30 dead
2004 Hurricane Frances - 48 dead
2004 Hurricane Charley - 34 dead
2003 Hurricane Isabel - 55 dead
1999 Hurricane Floyd - 77 dead
1999 Oklahoma-Kansas Tornadoes - 55 dead
1996 Hurricane Fran - 37 dead
1995 Hurricane Opal - 27 dead
1993 "Storm of the Century" Eastern Seaboard Storm/Blizzard - 270 dead
1992 Hurricane Andrew - 61 dead
1989 Hurricane Hugo - 86 dead
1969 Hurricane Camille - 256 dead
1965 Hurricane Betsy - 75 dead

Note that all four Florida hurricanes in 2004 totaled 140 deaths. Yet during that election year, in that crucial state, Dubya was on the job, approving aid an hour after Charley made landfall, and FEMA had made impressive advance preparations for both Frances and Ivan.