Milbank and other beltway types are genuinely confused by the GOP in-fighting. Milbank thinks that McConnell and Boehner ARE the Tea Party. He can’t come up with a rational reason why there would be opposition. To these libs, people like Mitt Romney are “far right” and “extreme”. They have no idea about the ideology of the Right. Just clueless.
I read Smashmouth by him a number of years ago. I had to stop about 1/2 way through. Couldn't bring myself to finish it.
I know what Milbank is and what he does.