Rather than retype it here I will refer you to the CoffeeGeek Discussions:
CoffeeGeek - CoffeeGeek Discussions
Be prepared for some serious nerds. Most people will look at the discussion there any say "those people are crazy, the *tamp* can't be that important." Please try to keep an open mind and remember that many people believe that women will get too bulky if they lift weights. Also feel free to find that much coffee discussion way too tedious to waste much of your life on.
A lot of people call Moka pots "stovetop espresso" pots. I have a Brikka, which comes pretty close to espresso. The "Confessions of a Brikka Lover" thread on coffeegeek is 91 pages long.
The short answer is: I consider real espresso to be "real espresso." Moka pot coffee is Moka pot coffee. I personally like it and brew it every day. But it's not espresso. Espresso has a thick layer of crema and is almost sweet.