Common Touch Meaning

(idiomatic, usually of a celebrity or leader) The personal quality of showing understanding of and sympathy for the concerns of ordinary people; rapport with and acceptance by ordinary people.

Example: 1895, Rudyard Kipling, "If—":
  If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
  Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch;
  . . .
  Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it
1986 Feb. 17, John Moody, "Nigeria Striking a Delicate Balance," Time (retrieved 16 Oct 2013):
  The crowd roared its approval and gave a standing ovation to the new President of Africa's most populous nation. That common touch has served Babangida well.
1996 May 4, Eric Schmitt, "New Top Admiral to Push Wider Combat Role for Women," New York Times (retrieved 16 Oct 2013):
  The admiral is the first enlisted man to lead the Navy, and Navy aides are busy cultivating his image as a four-star officer with a common touch.
2013 Sept. 25, Jeff Jacoby, "Pope’s interview is fodder for the culture war," Boston Globe (retrieved 16 Oct 2013):
  From the first moments of his papacy it has been evident that Francis is a “people person,” with a gentle common touch and a gift for pastoral outreach.