House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks with humor and clarity of mind

Quote of the night (so far):
“If it is inside you to run, then run.”

-said by Speaker Pelosi’s husband to her years ago when she was considering public office.

From somewhere deep in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (left dot on stage per above iPhone photo) is ripping the crowd up ie she’s hilarious. At Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit 2010, Nora Ephron (right dot on above stage pic…) is now conducting a casual yet revealing interview on a huge stage.

What is striking is the Speaker’s voice, natural storytelling, and pace:

She punctuates her remarks lyrically with pauses and vocal strength as she grows more serious — and suggests to the hundreds of women in the audience: “Keep your home strong so it may continue to give you strength.”

She surrounds Nora’s questions with great stories ranging from getting her daughter’s permission to run for office (hilarious…) – to hearing her male colleagues discuss child birth (more good comedy…).

What she’s saying now about absorbing severe public criticism:

“I view attacks made on me like this: it requires a suit of armor, it is not for the faint of heart. I have to throw and take punches. And if I wasn’t being attacked then I would consider myself as unproductive.”