Observers of the Clintons have often noted that they shade the truth even when a) there’s no possible benefit they could derive from a particular bit of dishonesty, or b) their falsehoods are easily disproven. Hillary Clinton’s famous tale of landing in Bosnia under sniper fire (refuted by, yes, Sinbad), or her claim to having been named in honor Sir Edmund Hillary’s ascent of Mount Everest (which occurred after Hillary’s birth) are two examples that check both boxes.

Bill Clinton offered a classic of the genre this week. Speaking at a rally in Nevada, the former president declared that his pneumonia-stricken wife is suffering from nothing more serious than the flu. “It’s a crazy time we live in. You know, when people think there’s something unusual about getting the flu. Last time I checked, millions of people were getting it every year.” Clinton said. This despite the fact that Hillary Clinton’s doctor, and Clinton herself have admitted she is suffering from pneumonia—a far more serious ailment than “the flu.”