It was kind of a loose debate format, said Hilts of the competition. He was asked if Ethiopia was truly a democracy, to clarify democracy versus majority rule and was challenged if America even is a democracy. But the toughest question posed to Hilts was if people s interest in celebrities is corrupting democracy. Hilts said he was caught off guard by the question and was not prepared for it, but responded by saying that if we do not want celebrities in the political realm, we would not vote for them and would not watch them on television and in the movies. Although Hilts said he felt he accomplished his job of defending democracy, he was surprised when he was voted the winner of the competition.
Hilts is the contest s first two-time winner.
Hilts argued that it did. And although he always found the questions intriguing, he did not respond to them every year. They were always interesting questions, but I didn t have a personal interest in them, said Hilts. He described the competition as a fun experience because it is played off similar to an athletic event where there are rounds and bouts. They maintain a playful atmosphere, Hilts said.