EMP is highly overrated. Ground level or normal altitude bursts dont put out that much. You'd be inside the killed or wrecked radius if the EMP hurt your electronics anyway.
Its only if they pop the nuke at very high altitude that EMP causes more damage than the blast. Theres a really complicated formula for calculating the height/yield curve to get the EMP radius/effect you want.
Its possible to pop a big enough nuke at a high enough altitude to fry everything electronic is the USA, but its a big nuke.
And trust me, this story isnt "unthinkable" yet. That happens on Day 6.
