A majority of the public thinks Hillary Clinton can relate to the average American -- or, at least, that she can do so just as well as other presidential contenders.
In an NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Annenberg poll published Sunday, 55 percent of Americans said Clinton understands the problems of average citizens as well as other potential 2016 presidential candidates, while 37 percent believe that she's less able to do so.
Clinton's overall favorability rating stands at just over 50 percent, down from nearly 60 percent during her tenure as Secretary of State.
Still, Sunday's poll could come as welcome news for Clinton, who set off a firestorm of criticism earlier this month when she described herself and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, as being "dead broke" after leaving the White House in 2000. She later admitted the statement "may have not been the most artful."
Clinton's husband defended her, telling NBC's David Gregory that "she's not out of touch" during an interview in Denver earlier this week.
"She advocated and worked as a senator for things that were good for ordinary people. And before that, all her life," he said.
Republican National Chairman Reince Priebus blasted Clinton for her comments on Sunday.
"I think that when you are perceived as being out of touch with people that are struggling, with people that are out there working hard, I don't think that flying on private jets and collecting $250,000 for a speech is considered to be hard work," Priebus said on "Meet The Press."
"I think people are kind of tired of this show, quite frankly. There's Hillary fatigue already out there setting in," he continued, predicting that Clinton's "early run for the White House" would work against her.
Asked by David Gregory whether he'd have the same message for the Bush family, Priebus demurred.
"I don't think Jeb and the Bushes are being as obnoxious about all of this," he said.
The NBC/WSJ/Annenberg poll surveyed 592 Americans between June 26 and June 28, using live interviews conducted over both landlines and cell phones.
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