However, is we WERE to wax hypothetical about a protracted naval war against the US Navy, it certainly helps the opposition that the US President, the US media, and the US political Left would all be doing their level best to hold our Navy back... and the other side would still probably need the combined arms of a few navies to put up a good fight, along with asymmetrical attacks from those hiding behind/among/as civilians.
Almost impossible these these.
I could see our CiC allowing few brief exchanges and loss of an American flag ship in order to further humiliate the US military, international prestige, and reinforce perception that America is a paper tiger with no heart. As you suggest, the media, and the US political Left would do their best to "kinda catapult the propaganda" in this contest.