# CPAC National Anthem performance **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 1, 2021, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058 "2021-03-01T20:13:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/121 "2021-03-03T14:51:53Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > > [@eschrodinger](#): > > > > But a teenager who got in over her head on hard song, and had a brutally bad but widely seen performance doesn’t deserve to have thousands of people mock her for that performance. She deserves some compassion for that. > > She decided to perform for a white supremacist extremist organization. My tear ducts are all dried up. Yep. She may be young, but she is also actively a part of a party that elevates people not because of their ability, but because of their commitment to Sparkle Motion. She knows this. This is what Republicans like about their party. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > She was applauded loudly after her performance because her ability to be of their political persuasion while singing pleased them. Indeed. Say the magic words, win prizes. > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > I can still express sympathy that a bunch of bigots used her as a stooge to headline their conference Don’t take away her agency. It was not a mystery to her who these folks are and what they stand for. To be sure, 19 year olds are not the most sophisticated, but to simplify this relationship as her being “used” simply because she’s 19 is infantilizing and not a little bit paternalistic/patriarchial. Yes, I feel an element of compassion for anyone who is lead to believe that success is just about saying the right magic words and joining the right club, and then occasionally runs hard into the fact that sometimes that club can’t protect you from the consequences of not actually being very good. Those are going to be startling and uncomfortable moments. But that compassion applies equally to this woman and to the likes of Rick Perry. They’re cut from the same cloth, chasing the same dreams. If I can call out other Republicans for being clearly inadequate to the task of their jobs, in a party that clearly doesn’t value competency, I sure as heck can call out this woman for the same reasons. > [@BigT](#): > > She likely doesn’t even know it’s a white supremacist organization. I didn’t at that age, either. Come on. When you were that age, the evidence wasn’t as obviously plastered on every surface it can stick to, with big red arrows and words that read “Republicans Stand Together with Proud Boys and Nazis”. > [@BigT](#): > > More likely, I’d expect it to be weaponized to attack the libs. How dare they mock this girl! And they say they hate cyberbullying! And, that’s exactly what Octopus’ single . . . contribution to this thread is. Won’t someone protect this person from the online mob of bullies!!! ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/122 "2021-03-03T15:09:23Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > > [@pulykamell](#): > > > > she is hitting notes wrong > > She not only hit them, she beat them until they confessed. She’s not hurting the notes she’s supposed to be hurting. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/123 "2021-03-03T17:56:16Z")
> [@eschrodinger](#): > > Back when I watched a few seasons of American Idol, I couldn’t stand some of the bad auditions they showed. Some people were clearly bad, and knew they were bad, and wanted to get on the show as a novelty. Some people were bad, but thought they were much better, or maybe even usually were better, but they cracked under pressure. I thought many of those segments were cruel. This. This a thousand times. This was my experience watching American Idol. I will not watch the show because of the cruelty they show. The direct parallel here is that CPAC is like American Idol. They are the ones who deserve ridicule. They may not have _intentionally_ put up a singer who couldn’t perform, but they did, and they absolutely should have known better. I feel sorry for the singer, but she should have known better, too. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/124 "2021-03-03T18:37:58Z")
So did they take this girl, pat her on the head, and shove her out there without so much as a rehearsal? ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/125 "2021-03-03T18:46:23Z")
Another good video that puts it in pretty clear focus: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JqEp-NMeMF8/maxresdefault.jpg "CPAC NATIONAL ANTHEM in F, F#, G & G# - piano arrangement by Brandon Ethridge") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqEp-NMeMF8) I think my molars are hurting … ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/126 "2021-03-03T21:49:36Z")
And another group of kindly North Americans who have this young lady’s back, vocally: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/AQ-O72WMRKo/maxresdefault.jpg "CPAC Anthem Video A Cappella HARMONY!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ-O72WMRKo) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/127 "2021-03-04T06:28:22Z")
I think she invented 13.7-tone serialism. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/128 "2021-03-04T18:16:30Z")
I play a lot of acoustic music w/ some pickers whom I consider quite talented. Over the past few months, we’ve been sharing personal clips of ourselves singing/playing. It has been an eye opener! When you see how reasonably accomplished amateurs sound, you really gain more respect for competent pro solo acts. When we play as a group - even a duo - we are able to cover up each others’ inadequacies. But by yourself - man, each nanosecond pause, each slightly missed pitch, really is magnified. Discussing w/ my wife, she commented that is why choirs sound so good. The whole is definitely better than the parts. Having said that, boy, someone really fell down on the job if they thought this young woman had what it took to belt out this song in this forum. IME, it is not uncommon for performers to overestimate their own ability. Also in many instances, people around a performer - family, friends - may cause the performer to think they are more talented than they are. Singing the banner a capella is quite challenging, but I would imagine the top few singers in just about any midsized high school could do much better than this. ---
**Author:** ![gnarator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gnarator/32/8266_2.png) [@gnarator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarator)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/129 "2021-03-04T18:25:53Z")
Golfclap/ ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/130 "2021-03-04T19:36:22Z")
I was talking with my daughter the other day - she’s a high school choir member - about this performance, and I said something along the lines of “for something like this in front of a national audience, they should have done a better job finding someone who can sing the anthem acapella.” She said “Maybe they couldn’t find anyone willing to sing for them. I wouldn’t.” “Oh, come on. It’s a paying gig.” “Nope. Wouldn’t do it.” “You mean, if they were to pay you $20,000, fly you out there, put you up in a nice hotel, etc., you wouldn’t do it?” “Nope. Not for them.” Quite frankly, I’m proud of her, sticking to her morals. If they offered me $20,000 etc., I’d have a hard time turning it down. Then again, I would look at it as a paying job, not as promoting the ideals espoused there. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/131 "2021-03-04T19:39:13Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > Quite frankly, I’m proud of her I’m honored to know her. Thank her for me. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/132 "2021-03-04T19:42:52Z")
TBF, I’d take the $20,000, and then sing it even worse. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/133 "2021-03-04T20:06:25Z")
Hmm - depends. Can I sing it while wearing a shirt saying “Fuck Trump”? Or - at the very least - “BLM”? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/134 "2021-03-04T20:30:13Z")
Can I sing it to the tune of the old Soviet National Anthem? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/135 "2021-03-04T21:27:40Z")
Dead Kennedys did a song called "California Uber Alles ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2021, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/136 "2021-03-05T09:09:00Z")
[Sailor Sabol’s YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/user/MarineLife71/videos) is back up. She’s even posted the CPAC video, with the heading     **Star “Mangled” Banner- the botched CPAC national anthem by yours truly, Sailor Sabol** and the comment: > Go ahead. Laugh. Get it out of your system. I know this is what y’all’re here for. Hey, say what you will, but at least I was successful at being an entertainer. That’s for sure. She’s been responding to some of the comments on the video, and giving conciliatory replies to comments that say ‘never mind about the singing, what about the politics?’ She comes across as ultra naïve, but not a bad person. I think she’s capable of growing and changing. She doesn’t seem stupid, or fanatical. She simply didn’t understand what she was getting into. I’m not inclined to judge her harshly. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if in ten years time she was a media personality (not a singer!) with liberal views, laughing ruefully at her 18 year old self. She says she can’t read music, has never had any vocal training, and had sinus problems on the day. The real question for the people who chose her to sing at CPAC, is why they didn’t watch any of the other videos of her singing, because they are just as bad. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2021, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/137 "2021-03-05T13:30:25Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > The real question for the people who chose her to sing at CPAC, is why they didn’t watch any of the other videos of her singing, because they are just as bad. It’s not really a question, it’s just utter incompetence. The question should really be, when they can’t even be trusted with such a small trivial task, why should they be trusted to have any part of running the government? ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2021, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/138 "2021-03-05T13:46:41Z")
Respect to her for reopening her social media feed, though if she were my kid I might’ve advised that she let it rest a little while longer. But the way that social media and self-perception intermingle for a lot of teenagers these days probably means it was going to happen sooner or later either way. Her mom‘s responses do deepen the mystery a bit – “she doesn’t want to be a singer, she was delighted to be selected” - it’s still not clear how it ended up being her. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2021, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/139 "2021-03-05T14:07:24Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > The question should really be, when they can’t even be trusted with such a small trivial task, why should they be trusted to have any part of running the government? I think this is a bit of a risky argument. You just happened to invoke it, so I don’t mean to pick on you for raising it, but … In most places, it’s easy to say the Motor Vehicles (or whatever they call the license plate/driver’s license office) is horrible, painful, and inefficient – the worst example of government in action. From which, it’s easy to extrapolate that government is inherently bad. Didn’t the [**voting software glitch**](https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/4/21122337/iowa-caucus-app-bug-results-reporting-crash-election-tech-democrats) in Iowa’s Democratic Caucus ? And wasn’t that ‘proof positive’ that Democrats – incapable of running their own elections – shouldn’t run the country ? Somebody totally screwed the pooch on picking this young lady to sing for CPAC. While I have a nearly unlimited list of reasons why I don’t think their party ought to be running the country, I’m hesitant to add this particular screw-up to that august list. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2021, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058/140 "2021-03-05T14:30:23Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > She’s even posted the CPAC video, with the heading > > **Star “Mangled” Banner- the botched CPAC national anthem by yours truly, Sailor Sabol** > > and the comment: > > > Go ahead. Laugh. Get it out of your system. I know this is what y’all’re here for. Hey, say what you will, but at least I was successful at being an entertainer. That’s for sure. **Kirk Van Houten:** Go ahead and laugh at me, Homer. **Homer:** I already did! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cpac-national-anthem-performance/934058.md?page=8)