Read the excerpts from "opening statements from John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon First Televised Debate." Nixon: Where, then, do we disagree? I think we disagree on the implication of his remarks tonight and on the statements that he has made on many occasions during his campaign to the effect that the United States has been standing still. 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 per cent and one of the highest in the world today. More about that later.

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. Because economic growth means strength and vitality; it means we're able to sustain our defenses; it means we're able to meet our commitments abroad.

On what point do Kennedy and Nixon disagree?

Kennedy thinks America is progressing; Nixon thinks America is in a recession.

Kennedy thinks America has the highest growth in G. N.P. in the world; Nixon thinks America has the lowest growth of any industrial nation.

Nixon thinks America needs to increase trade with Peking, China; Kennedy thinks America should strike out at China and Russia (the Kremlin).

Nixon thinks America is progressing; Kennedy thinks America is standing still.