One of the most effective and colorful congressmen to ever go to Washington was a crusty old gentlemen from Texas named Sam Rayburn. He served Congress for over 50 years — during the last ten of those years, he was Speaker of the House.

But the real greatness of Sam Rayburn was not in the public positions he held. It was in his common touch.

One day he heard that the teenage daughter of a Washington reporter had died. Early the next morning he went over to the reporter’s house and knocked on the door. “I just came by to see what I could do to help”, he said. The reporter was obviously touched. “Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker, but I don’t think there’s anything you can do. We’re handling all the arrangements.”

Sam Rayburn said to him, “Let me ask you — have you had your coffee yet this mor…