Read the excerpts from "opening statements from John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon First Televised Debate." Kennedy: 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: We heard tonight, for example, the statement made that our growth in national product last year was the lowest of any industrial nation in the world. Now last year, of course, was 1958. That happened to be a recession year. But when we look at the growth of G. N.P. this year, a year of recovery, we find that it's six and nine-tenths percent and one of the highest in the world today.

Which statement best compares Nixon's and Kennedy's positions on U. S. economic growth?

(A) Kennedy argues that the U. S. government needs to prop up the steel industry; Nixon opposes intrusive government interference.

(B) Kennedy wants to slow economic growth to halt inflation; Nixon wants to encourage economic growth to make the United States more powerful.

(C) Kennedy believes that economic growth in the United States will decline without immediate government action; Nixon strongly disagrees.

(D) Kennedy argues that economic growth in the United States is sluggish; Nixon argues that the U. S. economy is growing robustly.