By Leonard Pitts - ...a little nod of affirmation for Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of NETWORK, a Roman Catholic social justice group. She did not speak long — about seven minutes. Her delivery was not particularly powerful. But with the moral authority of her calling, she did something that has sorely needed doing for some weeks now.

She rebuked “I built that.”

Granted, the rebuke was only implicit: She never specifically mentioned the new GOP slogan of rugged individualism. But it was no less powerful for that...

This nun, whose social activism has put her at odds with the Vatican, did not talk business. She talked about the “nuns on the bus” tour she undertook to contest cutbacks to services for vulnerable Americans that would be necessary under the budget envisioned by Romney and his running mate. And about the people she met along the way.

Like the 10-year-old twin boys in Toledo who act as sole caregivers for their bedridden mother. Like “Billy,” from Milwaukee whose job has cut back his hours and who could not make it without food stamps. Like “Jini” in Cincinnati whose sister Margaret lost her job, lost her health insurance and so, lost her life when she was diagnosed with cancer.

“I am my sister’s keeper,” said Campbell. “I am my brother’s keeper.” Can you remember when that went without saying?

This was Obama’s point. In a recent song, Bruce Springsteen put it like this: “We take care of our own.”

And we do. Or at least, we should.