The Republican Governor of North Carolina, Pat McCrory, saw his approval numbers slide in 2013, but his puppet alter-ego is enjoying near universal popularity due to his face-melting new holiday video.
The real McCrory, who broke a campaign promise not to sign any new anti-abortion legislation and then delivered a plate of cookies to women’s rights demonstrators, fared far worse than does his felt counterpart, who breaks into song at the first sign of trouble.
“I think the puppet shares a lot in common with the Governor,” says Eaton. “They are both deeply frustrated by circumstances; namely that they’re controlled by people who are cleverer than they are.”
Puppet Pat, created by political ad maker Frank Eaton, was familiar to voters during the 2012 election but spent most of 2013 in a garment bag in the back of a hallway closet.