I agree that an EMP attack of the type described in “One Second After” is entirely possible. It would be at least as devastating as that novel described; maybe worse. On the other hand, it probably would trigger a Mutually Assured Destruction scenario. So a significant deterrent exists.
Personally, I think there recently has been So Much Mass Media Coverage of this topic that it is a distraction. Something else is coming. And they don’t want us to notice it approaching until it happens.