Final answer:
In his "Crisis of Confidence" speech, President Carter acknowledged Americans' loss of confidence in government and laid out a plan to address the energy crisis, making Option B the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
In his "Crisis of Confidence" speech, President Carter addressed the nation with a frank overview of the challenges that the United States was facing during his presidency. The correct answer to the question would be Option B: Carter acknowledged Americans' loss of confidence in government and laid out a plan to address the energy crisis. In his speech, he outlined areas where the nation was declining, emphasized the irresponsibility that led to spiraling private and public debt, and called on American citizens to recognize their part in the nation's problems. Although initially his forthrightness was appreciated, the lack of a clear action plan in this address led to a perception that he was indicting the American public and accepting the inevitability of the nation's decline.