I met Dan Quayle one time in a greeting line and then got out of line and back in a minute later. He introduced himself again with the same fake smile and NO recognition.
That was a meet’n’greet. This chick interviewed him at length. He still didn’t recognize her 30m later.
I can understand a face in the line. But in Cochran's case the reporter had just spent an extended period of time interviewing Cochran, and 60 minutes later it's as if they had never met.