Mr. Barak's hesitation — made clear over the weekend when he declined an early meeting request from Ms. Livni and met first with the Likud leader, Benjamin Netanyahu — may be as much tactical as substantive.
Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, a graduate of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, has admitted that the current campaign is as much symbolic as substantive, and part of a larger effort to diversify the department.
The headline moment of the trip was Mr. Obama's announcement on the United Nations seat, even though the endorsement is seemingly as much symbolic as substantive, given the serious political obstacles that have long stalled efforts to reform membership of the Security Council.
"To me it's not a political tough spot as much as it is a substantive tough spot," Mr. Schumer said, "when you don't agree with someone on the issues".
Therefore, the result is not a shift in the substantive focus as much as a change of approach and methodology.
Perhaps realizing as much, Mr. Köhler also called for more substantive measures, including stricter regulation of the financial services industry.
But really, as Aaron has said, it's not really a movie about Facebook as much as it is about these more substantive themes.
But for all his influence, the vice president seems destined to be remembered as much for his political shortcomings as for his substantive achievements.
The encounter felt as much performative, a necessary part of the play, as substantive.
