Absolutely correct. Whitney's rendition that night was magnificent. She had the voice to engage in "showboating" if she wanted to, but I wouldn't characterize that performance as "showboating" by any stretch of the imagination. And, believe me, I've seen a lot of showboating from anthem singers.
So such beauty is apparently in the eye of the beholder, because I categorically disagree on the "showboating" charge in this instance...
Im sure there are plenty of vets out there who know the words and would be willing to give it a shot. I would rather hear someone who understands what it stands for do their best even if it was a poor vocal performance than to see some clown demean it by turning it into an opportunity to gain more praise for themselves.