What we're seeing is the plot to 'Rollerball' (the short story) writ large.
Jonathan E is too popular for the Elites, so he is offered retirement. He refuses to go. The Elites start changing the rules of the game, trying to trip him up and kill him. But Jonathan rides out all the tweaks and cheats and changes, because he's that good. The public know what the plan is and grow to love Jonathan even more because of it.
That's what we're seeing here. The dirty lowdown stinkin' cheatin' Dems will do anything to trip POTUS up. But he's better than that, and no matter what they do he wins. The media tells the people that POTUS lost, but everyone knows the real truth. And the DS gnash their teeth and wail in despair.