[sauropod]

There is a big difference between recklessly, even if innocently, exaggerating an old marathon time with claiming to be a war veteran.

Pray tell, how do you do that?

A lie is a lie, not an "exaggeration."

[agere_contra]

An exaggeration is one thing. Misremembering is another. A lie is a third, different thing.

Ryan misremembered the facts about something unimportant that happened in the last millenium - and he has since corrected himself.

Kerry, Obama, Clinton, Sharpton (etc, etc) lie. And lie. And lie.

[Lancey Howard]

A lie is a lie, not an "exaggeration."

That's a good point.