Now what you've been scrolling down to get to....

Hillary Clinton vs. Barak Obama -- 2008

 

 As I write this, we are experiencing political topsy-turvy in the quest for this year's Presidential nomination process -- and this is just the Democrats!

A week ago Barack Obama won a decisive victory in Iowa.  Then, confounding expectations and embarrassing pundits, Hillary Clinton edged out Obama in New Hampshire.  We seem to have on our hands a two-person fight --  and it will get personal as well as political.

We have looked at Hillary's chart in some detail previously -- actually one with an AM birth time, another with a PM birth time.  For Obama we also have two birth charts -- one is for 8:39 AM and gives a Virgo rising with Mars conjunct the Ascendant -- on the surface that would be a rather hard sell.  I will use the other chart here, which, like that of Ms. Clinton, gives Scorpio rising and, therefore, Mars governing the Ascendant.

In case you're wondering, the synastry of Obama's chart with the AM chart of Hillary Clinton is just terrible -- her Saturn stands upon his Midheaven at 20 Leo, and his Mars in Virgo closely opposes her Moon in Pisces.  This tells me that Hillary's role is to call Barack's credentials into question and try to take him down a few notches -- hence her Saturn is on his Midheaven.  On the other side, she feels emotionally threatened by him -- hence that his Mars opposes her Moon.  No VP for him, nor will she advise a President Obama, unless there's a very good reason -- like personal ambition-- that would surpass any personal antipathy.

            From Barack Obama's chart is notable for its strong tenth house Sun in its own sign Leo and the Moon in sextile from Gemini, this does impress one as smooth and charismatic.  The planet that was visible ahead of the Sun before he was born was Venus, in its own triplicity, which adds charm, once again. Equally or more importantly, notice that Moon is in exact – to the degree – sextile with Mercury.  In modern terms, Venus is the midpoint of Mercury and Moon, which is a strikingly obvious  combination for someone with oratorical abilities.

            Yet there no small amount of toughness and ferocity in Obama's chart.  His Saturn in Capricorn is in sect and in the same sign as his Lot of Spirit -- people detect a seriousness of intent, a gravitas, which is a more hidden but powerful factor in his character.  This is neutralized to some extent, but not completely, by Saturn being retrograde and in a cadent house or place.

             Mars is the lord of his Ascendant, in the strong eleventh house or place and conjunct his Lot of Fortune and in trine to Saturn.   He will not happily allow himself the ugliness that goes along with displays of anger, but certainly has the ability to take strong stands and may not forget slights easily.  He is too self-controlled (Saturn with the Lot of Spirit in Capricorn) to lose his cool.  Yet he can also be insensitive, as when he told Hillary in last weekend's debate, "You’re likeable enough."

            Obama’s oratorical ability comes from Mercury, of course, under the beams of a highly dignified Sun and with an aspect from Jupiter, also in an angular place.  Jupiter is in the fourth place of home and heritage -- he gains strength from his origins, as unusual as they may be to many Americans.

            What are his transits like?  

            Many of us remember his sudden emergence onto a national stage in the summer of 2004, highlighted by his keynote speech at the Democratic Convention.  Accompanying his progressed Sun-Moon first quarter square, was Neptune opposite Sun --- obviously giving him glamour -- and, at the time of the Convention, Jupiter in Virgo right on his natal Mars, which brings drive and a crusading zeal.  Now it's different in some ways, not in others.  

            Jupiter has just entered the sign Capricorn, which is the sign of his Lot of Spirit and Saturn -- if he is to be successful in his current political quest, it is through an ability to endure -- and enjoy it, even. Saturn, however, is at the moment conjunct his natal Pluto:  However, Neptune was opposing his Midheaven degree during the time he decided to run for president.  Neptune is a high stakes outer planet -- does this indicate tapping into latent American idealism or eventually being "swift-boated" by his political adversaries, Democrats and Republicans?  I suspect strongly that both will occur.

            Let's take a Hellenistic turn. 

            Obama's yearly profections (which advance positions one sign per year of life) move things eleven houses or places.  That means that for this year -- from birthday to birthday -- Sun and Midheaven, representing public stature, profect to Gemini where his Moon is.  That certainly enhances his ability to connect with people and, with Mercury as lord of Gemini, may contribute to his strong campaign voice.  However, currently Mars is transiting retrograde into Gemini. Until March 4, the last of the large primary dates, which include Texas, Ohio, and Rhode Island (I couldn't resist the last one.)  Over the next ten weeks,  Obama is in a very tough fight, more so now than against a Republican if he does win the nomination.  

            Adding to the above difficulty is this: note that if you move a Scorpio Ascendant eleven signs you get Virgo wherein lies Mars; if you profect his natal Saturn eleven signs you have Scorpio and the sign of his Ascendant.  

            When we get to his Decennials, an ancient planetary period system, things look better for him in the longer run.  His political apotheosis occurred after he began a Moon-Moon phase.  On its own, this would not account for his sudden rise, unless you also noted Moon's application to the Sun.  Lately Mercury has taken over as specific time lord, giving us Moon-Mercury.  Mercury is not only the planet of works -- and politicians -- but is the lord of his eleventh place of Mars and the Lot of Fortune. Sun becomes his specific planetary lord in April 2008.  Sun, in his case, gives stature and leadership and is a very positive indicator for him.

            Conclusions: Obama stands a good chance of gaining the Democratic nomination and the presidency, at the cost of the fight of his life -- politically and personally.  If Hillary does win the nomination instead, he will be a national figure of stature for some time now.

            But what about Hillary?  I have looked at her chart recently, and for analyses of both AM and PM charts, check out two recent newsletters, to be found on the other side of the following links:

http://www.astrologyinstitute.com/Newsletters/news10_07.html

http://www.astrologyinstitute.com/Newsletters/news11_07.html

           

            Using the AM chart only, Saturn has been passing over her Midheaven degree lately, certainly giving her some campaign and "likeability" problems, together with an ongoing difficulty of transiting Neptune opposing natal Saturn -- putting some dents into her armor?  I would add to that the transiting Mars retrograde in Gemini is in the vicinity of her natal Uranus -- we've certainly seen the sudden surprises and reversals.  One can expect that things can get pretty weird over the next several weeks.

            This  autumn Hillary turned 60, her 61st year.  This means that her yearly profections return to their natal places -- this usually gives me very little additional information.  I would add, however, that the prevalence of fixed planets in her charts only continues, endures, wears down opposition.

            What about her decennials?  Interestingly, at the time of her election to the US Senate, she entered a Mars-Mars period, which got her through  fifteen months, minus about seven days.  (Monica-time featured Moon-Mercury.  Mercury, being on her Ascendant, gave her the limelight; Mercury's  tight square from Saturn made it a rather unhappy time for her, personally.)

            At this time she is in Mars -Mercury period, which she has been in since the autumn of 2006.  This is clearly a difficult period for her and difficulties will be endured in a very public way.  Interestingly, on May this Mercury subperiod ends and is replaced by Mercury-Jupiter.  This is an improvement but not as positive as Obama's Moon-Sun period at the same time.  Both Obama's and Clinton's specific time lords are in their own signs, as his Sun is in Leo and her Jupiter is in Sagittarius.  However, his Sun is in the tenth place, that of career and renown, and Clinton's is in the less powerful second.

            Importantly, on February 7, 2008, there's a solar eclipse with at 17 degrees of Aquarius.  Occurring two days after "super duper Tuesday", in which many states including New York and California have their primaries, the eclipse opposes Obama's Sun and Midheaven.   It opposes Hillary's Mars -- ruler of her Ascendant -- and, by a wider orb, Pluto.  This eclipse may favor Obama, as Sun and Midheaven relate more specifically to matters of leadership and renown.   That the contact is an opposition, Obama could also be "eclipsed" by a rival at that time.

            So which candidate will it be?  If Clinton wins, it will be because of her endurance; if she loses it will be a steady trickle of negativity and past difficulties coming home to roost.  If Obama wins it will be because he can fight a tough fight with dignity and self-control; if he loses, it will be because his longs legs have been taken out from under him, yet he will gain enduring national standing in the process.

            So who wins the nomination?  The astrology of it suggests that Obama edges Clinton.  I will follow up on these indications in the months ahead; now lets go find out what happens.  And yes there are more predictive factors to look at -- we will look at them later.