"Forced to walk it back" is an oddly condemnatory way to describe admitting to a mistake. Granted the mistake has already been made, surely it's a good thing to own up to it?
No, the pattern of slander an individual, wait for the story to pass then apologise later once the damage is done and a litigious response is coming to bear (claiming it was a "mistake" or whatever excuse is necessary) is a tactic used by scum and defended by the same.
