# Nixon and Brezhnev were mammals, you know.... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 31, 2012, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265 "2012-01-31T03:31:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/1 "2012-01-31T03:31:33Z")
…and if you didn’t, Wikipedia would be the first to tell you: [Mammal - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammal) ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/2 "2012-01-31T04:03:45Z")
Well . . . they had to show _ **somebody** _~~~ ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/3 "2012-01-31T04:07:29Z")
That is incorrect. Nixon was a reptile, Brezhnev was a dinosaur. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/4 "2012-01-31T04:09:07Z")
I think it would similarly appropriate for Leonid and Tricky Dicky to illustrate the article on the [Ape](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ape). ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/5 "2012-01-31T04:12:22Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > That is incorrect. Nixon was a reptile, Brezhnev was a dinosaur. No, taxonomically speaking they are synapsids, not sauropsids, in spite of the superficial resemblance. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/6 "2012-01-31T04:52:49Z")
Dan Fielding was also a mammal. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/7 "2012-01-31T06:47:32Z")
Seems like it would have been more appropriate to include Dolly Parton. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/8 "2012-01-31T07:00:38Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > That is incorrect. Nixon was a reptile, Brezhnev was a dinosaur. “I’m not a reptile. I’ve earned everything I’ve got.” ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/9 "2012-01-31T09:39:50Z")
Squee! Pangolin. Cute little mammal-reptile. I’d totally get one if they weren’t super illegal. It’s in plus sign with the eats-babies-leaders, along with screaming-death-opossum, scary-ass-elephant seal, and creepy-golden-mole-thingy. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/10 "2012-01-31T11:27:15Z")
[Nous sont tout de mammafere](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=51223) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/11 "2012-01-31T12:40:55Z")
…that’s why they did it like they did on the Discovery Channel. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/12 "2012-01-31T19:15:35Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Dan Fielding was also a mammal. Heh, now _that’s_ not an obscure line from an ancient sitcom that nobody remembers. 🙂 So what if I use it whenever I can when I’m having trouble thinking of something nice to say about someone. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/13 "2012-01-31T20:11:21Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > …So what if I use it whenever I can when I’m having trouble thinking of something nice to say about someone. “So, Bob… you’re… uh… you’re certainly looking very bipedal this morning!” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/14 "2012-01-31T20:14:37Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > “So, Bob… you’re… uh… you’re certainly looking very bipedal this morning!” I compliment women on their mammalian features all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/15 "2012-01-31T20:19:52Z")
It could be true, but I’m going to need a better cite than Wikipedia before I believe it. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/16 "2012-01-31T20:49:55Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I compliment women on their mammalian features all the time. And when they slap you, I daresay your skin displays a blush response. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/17 "2012-02-01T00:16:16Z")
…and the taxon has been trying to live it down ever since. > [@Ludovic](#): > > …that’s why they did it like they did on the Discovery Channel. Now that’s a disturbing mental picture… ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/18 "2012-02-01T00:46:31Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Squee! Pangolin. Cute little mammal-reptile. I’d totally get one if they weren’t super illegal. It’s in plus sign with the eats-babies-leaders, along with screaming-death-opossum, scary-ass-elephant seal, and creepy-golden-mole-thingy. And the elephant shrew is dead last. Typical. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/19 "2012-02-01T02:53:20Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > And the elephant shrew is dead last. Typical. You Macroscelids are always complaining. At least you’re not a Xenarthran! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265/20 "2012-02-01T03:09:20Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > That is incorrect. Nixon was a reptile, Brezhnev was a dinosaur. My friends in the Repto-American and the Saurian-American communities tell me there is no way we Mammals are going to foist Nixon and Brezhnev on them, however accurate it may be metaphorically. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nixon-and-brezhnev-were-mammals-you-know/611265.md?page=2)