There’s an old Rodney Dangerfield line that goes, “I was so unpopular as a child that my parents had to tie a porkchop around my neck to get the dog to play with me.” To wit:

Mitt Romney has emerged from the Republican primary season with the weakest favorability rating on record for a presumptive presidential nominee in ABC News/Washington Post polls since 1984, trailing a resurgent Barack Obama in personal popularity by 21 percentage points.

Thirty-five percent of Americans see Romney favorably, while 47 percent have an unfavorable opinion of the former Massachusetts governor. He’s the first likely nominee to be underwater — seen more unfavorably than favorably — in ABC/Post polls in eight presidential primary seasons over the past 28 years.

Keeping with the canine metaphors, he’s about as welcome as a wet dog at a wedding.