strange, mine doesn't do that:

    Python 2.7.10 (default, Sep  8 2015, 17:20:17) 
    [GCC 5.1.1 20150618 (Red Hat 5.1.1-4)] on linux2
    Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
    >>> exit = "I'd like to assign a value to this non-reserved word!"
    >>> exit
    "I'd like to assign a value to this non-reserved word!"