If the ensuing events are a war, it is a cold one, full of negotiation, posturing, name-calling, even familial shuttle diplomacy as Frank moves between his father's and brother's homes, delivering messages, taking stock, seeking harmony.
After several days of negotiations and posturing by the two candidates, Mrs. Clinton agreed to a partial ban, under which political committees and outside groups were barred from spending soft money and other types of donations on television and radio commercials in the contest.
But the other person never had an idea what the issues were behind their partner's negotiation posture, unless they discovered this themselves.
And even though Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the wall is "off the table," earlier this week, Democrats described that as more of a negotiation posture than an absolutist position.
This may be posturing before negotiations, but his allies say they doubt it.
But it is not clear from either Washington or Tehran where optimism ends and posturing for negotiations begins.
The threat of two extra games — never mind the injuries they may produce — could merely be posturing for negotiations when the labor contract runs out after this season.
How much of her shift in tone is simply posturing ahead of negotiations with the EU?
No party is expected to win a majority, meaning that today's ballot-casting is only the beginning in a lengthy process of posturing, maneuvering, and negotiation before a coalition — formal or informal — is created.
In contrast, Mr. Cantor, the majority leader, had noted that he was not a party to the negotiations, a posture some Republicans took to mean he was uneasy about being aligned with a deal that drew so much internal opposition.
