This could have gone better for them if they had only come out immediately and apologized and admitted they made a mistake.
I doubt it. While the right is doing a fair job of holding AB's feet to the fire, if the above had happened, the leftists would be rioted in the streets. Maybe even some destruction on AB property.
The CEO’s statement regarding the controversy was completely tone deaf. It was a “sorry not sorry” boilerplate response that said nothing and resolved nothing.