20 POINTS!!! Read the excerpts from "opening statements from John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon First Televised Debate."

Kennedy: This is a great country, but I think it could be a greater country; and this is a powerful country, but I think it could be a more powerful country. I'm not satisfied to have fifty percent of our steel-mill capacity unused. I'm not satisfied when the United States had last year the lowest rate of economic growth of any major industrialized society in the world.

Nixon: Let's put it in terms that all of us can understand. We often hear gross national product discussed and in that respect may I say that when we compare the growth in this Administration with that of the previous Administration that then there was a total growth of eleven percent over seven years; in this Administration there has been a total growth of nineteen per cent over seven years. That shows that there's been more growth in this Administration than in its predecessor.

Which best analyzes a difference in the evidence used by each speaker to reach his conclusion?

A: Kennedy uses specific statistics to argue that economic growth in the U. S. is lagging behind other nations; Nixon relies on common assertions and opinions, rather than facts, to show that the U. S.'s economic growth is forging ahead.

B: Kennedy compares U. S. steel production to that of other countries to show that the U. S. is lagging; Nixon compares steel production now to steel production during the Truman presidency to show that it is forging ahead.

C: Kennedy uses facts to compare U. S. economic growth with other industrialized nations, which show the U. S. is lagging; Nixon uses facts to compare the economic growth during this presidency to that during the previous one, which shows that the economy is improving.

D: Kennedy makes a common assertion about how he will improve the U. S. steel industry; Nixon uses facts to demonstrate that the steel industry, while not perfect, has come a long way in the past seven years.