The talking points are bit more insidious than that. While everyone from Obama to Fox News has been parroting the word "automatic," no one seems to have noticed Obama's call (in not so many words) for the prohibition of "military" ammunition (which no civilian needs blah blah blah).
As everyone here knows, "military" ammunition is the least deadly, due to the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit the use of soft/hollow point bullets, AKA common hunting and civilian defensive rounds.
I forsee some brutally "comprehensive" legislation being fast-tracked at a rate to make heads spin.
With respect to the "automatic" talking point, I am reminded of an early draft of the last "assault" weapons ban ("assault weapon" of course being a term of art, there being no such thing in the real world).
In that draft, "semi-automatic" firearms were to be prohibited. In a separate place in the bill, "repeating" arms were defined as "semi-automatic"!
Stroke of the pen, and all that.
I suspect that the ban currently slogging its way through the process will be allowed to die on the vine. In its place will be introduced -- with great fanfare -- "The Mother of All Bans," putatively written in response to the latest act of war against us, but in reality, crafted over a period of months if not years, and waiting in the wings for the most opportune moment.
I can't see much (other than token) opposition from either side of The One Political Party. And Obama, clutching to this as "His Legacy," will gladly trade off some scraps to the GOPe, just to ensure the lack of opposition.
I am a crippled old man, but I weep for my children...
The term being bandied about today ("assault rifle") is clearly in the talking points, Bile O'Really being the latest to cough the hairball into the airwaves a minute or two ago.