Politicians are human.  Human beings in fact. They sleep, eat and drink, take showers, get dressed, every day. Most of them live in ordinary homes and have family and friends to simply converse, laugh and cry with. Many will even play with their children, cook dinner, watch tv, read a book, visit local cafés and stores. 

And then, of course, they will go to work pretty much every day, which is when the commoners cross paths with them, whether in traffic, an occasional gathering, but certainly via media, especially at present times.

So what is the difference - if any - between politicians and commoners ?

I like to revisit straighforward words in wikipedia and as such remembered that politician comes from the word "polis", a Greek word, interestingly enough. 

A politician is a human being involved in influencing public policy and decison making. It stroke me as interesting that wikipedia's definition, which I accept in full, hints that the pursue of a position in politics can be by any means including a coup d'etat, electoral fraud, conquest and thus not necessarly by election.  Another enlightning angle is that the exercise of politics does not imply governance through public office, but could also be conducted through corporations and other self-ruling entities.