“Hotter than a Times Square Rolex” (very hot)
“Hotter than a Times Square Rolex” means very hot. A Rolex is an expensive watch; if it’s sold on the street in Times Square, then it’s “hot” (stolen and/or fake). The expression was said by CBS News commentator Dan Rather about the presidential election of Republican George W. Bush against Democrat John Kerry on November 2, 2004.
There is some dispute if Rather was talking about the presidential election returns in Florida or Ohio. “On CBS, anchor Dan Rather cautioned that Bush had still not won the election, adding, in one his his homespun ‘Rather-isms,’ that the contest in the Ohio was ‘hotter than a Times Square Rolex’ and alluding to the importance of votes of Cuyahoga County” was printed in the Los Angeles (CA) Times on November 3, 2004. “On Florida presidential contest: ‘This race is hotter than a Times Square Rolex’” was printed in The Herald (Miami, FL) on November 4, 2004.
Wikipedia: Dan Rather
Daniel Irvin Rather Jr. (/ˈræðər/; born October 31, 1931) is an American journalist and former national evening news anchor. Rather began his career in Texas, becoming a national name after his reporting saved thousands of lives during Hurricane Carla in September 1961. Rather spontaneously created the first radar weather report by overlaying a transparent map over a radar image of Hurricane Carla. In his first national broadcast, he helped initiate the successful evacuation of 350,000 people.
Newspapers.com
3 November 2004, Los Angeles (CA) Times, “News Networks Call Election Results With Caution” by Nick Anderson and Elizabeth Jensen, pg. A24, col. 2:
On CBS, anchor Dan Rather cautioned that Bush had still not won the election, adding, in one his his homespun “Rather-isms,” that the contest in the Ohio was “hotter than a Times Square Rolex” and alluding to the importance of votes of Cuyahoga County.
Newspapers.com
3 November 2004, The Herald (Miami, FL), “Coverage a display of caution, restraint” by Glenn Garvin, pg. 22A, col. 6:
... CBS’ Dan Rather (best Ratherism of the evening: the presidential race in Florida was “hotter than a Times Square Rolex”) ...
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“Dan-Isms”
Ashlee Simpson’s Vocal Aid
Nov 3, 2004, 1:35:55 PM
November 3, 2004
DAN RATHER BRINGS A TOUCH OF HIS NATIVE TEXAN CHARM TO
THE 2004 ELECTIONS WITH A FRESH BATCH OF “DANISMS”
In addition to providing viewers with cautious estimates and insightful analysis of the presidential, congressional, gubernatorial and key referenda races across the country, CBS News anchor Dan Rather continues using those unique similes and metaphors that have come to be known fondly around CBS News as “Danisms.”
(...)
On Florida presidential contest: “This race is hotter than a Times Square Rolex.”
Newspapers.com
4 November 2004, The Herald (Miami, FL), “A fresh batch of Rather’s ‘Danisms,’” pg. 4A, col. 3:
On Florida presidential contest: “This race is hotter than a Times Square Rolex.”
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Calling all KK fans
Robin
Nov 12, 2004, 9:23:08 PM
(...)
As Dan Rather put it the other night, ‘hotter than a Times Square Rolex.’
Google Books
Rather Dumb:
A top tabloid reporter tells CBS how to do news
By Mike Walker
Nashville, TN: Nelson Current
2005
Pg. 94:
“This race is hotter than a Times Square Rolex.”
Twitter
Matt Mansfield
@mattmansfield
That race was hotter than a Times Square Rolex
@kwendt ...
12:55 AM · Jun 2, 2008·Twitter Web Client
Googel Books
Uncle John’s Fast-Acting, Long-Lasting Bathroom Reader
By the Bathroom Readers’ Institute
Ashland, OR: Portable Press
2012
Pg. ? (Ratherisms):
“This race is hotter than a Times Square Rolex.”
Newspapers.com
21 June 2018, The Herald-Sun (Durham, NC), “How hot is it? ‘Hotter than Satan’s house cat;’ 86 ways to say it’s hot” by Josh Shaffer, pg. 4A, col. 4:
41. Hotter than a Times Square Rolex.
Twitter
MyrtleBeach BackThen
@mbbackthen
Replying to @EdPiotrowski
“It’s hotter than a Times Square Rolex.” -
@DanRather
10:20 AM · Jul 29, 2021·Twitter for iPhone