Tag: John Mccain

3rd Presidential Debate

Tsk, Tsk, John McCain – you didn’t read my blog and you let that anger sneak out just as I predicted. Your “that one” comment, referring the Senator Obama, while ignored by the corporate controlled main stream press, was one of those debate errors that will live in infamy. It also cemented in the minds of many of us what we have believed for a long time – that you hold your competitor in some contempt.

As we turn our eyes toward Hofstra University and the Oct 15 debate, we see many of the same dynamics as we did in the first debate. Basically, there aren’t a lot of aspects floating around these two men so it should be another bland debate.

The strongest aspect Obama has is a conjunction between transiting Saturn, his natal Mars and progressed Sun all in Virgo and all in the 11th house – the house of social contacts and group activities. This is going to give a lot of force and structure to his passion – he will be able to clearly outline what he wants to get across to people. The caution here is to keep the fires tamped down – don’t be too preachy, too picky. With his Moon semi square transiting Uranus – he will have to work hard to keep his famous cool as he will be burning with nervous energy.

Senator McCain has transiting Saturn squaring his Venus at the time of debate. His hopes for appearing youthful and open will be dashed – as he will come off more pedantic and grandfatherly than his handlers will desire. And with Moon square his natal Sun and his Mars square transiting Uranus his emotions, his anger can all boil over to make him come off not only grouchy but desperate and harsh.

Obama needs to stay cool, add a touch of levity and play out the clock!

Saturn – Uranus – The Past and Future of the Presidential Election

On election day 2008, Uranus and Saturn will be in exact opposition to each other. That is, they will be directly across from one another on their path around the Sun. The choice has been written in the stars – old and new across from one another. Which way will we go?

Saturn is all about tradition, and doing things by the book – all about form and structure. Uranus is new, electric and represents upheaval and change. I don’t have to tell you which candidate is represented by each do I? The fact that we have the elder McCain, and the young, unique Obama as our choice seems to have been written in the sky!

To add some mystery to it all – Pluto is making a move in Capricorn. Actually Pluto moved into Capricorn briefly this year but quickly retrograded back in Sagittarius where it will remain until after the election. Pluto is the harbinger of slow but deeply felt transformations and because it moves so slowly around the Sun, it stays in a sign for years, sometimes decades. When Pluto was in Sagittarius we saw the rise of spirituality around the world – as well as fundamentalism. (To everything there is a positive and shadow aspect!) With Pluto moving in to Capricorn we will see changes in those structures that control society – government and the financial infrastructure to name two.

I saw one of the best albeit unwitting explanations of this Pluto-Capricorn placement in the commentary section of the October 7, 2008 edition of “The Nation” Magazine written by William Greider. “Our country is at a rare and dangerous juncture. The old order is crumbling, and virtually all centers of power that govern us have been discredited by events.”

The last time Pluto was in Capricorn we had the American and French Revolutions… does that tell you something about Pluto power?

But Joan, you say, you told us Pluto has moved back in Sagittarius so what is all of that talk about Capricorn? Well, I did say that – but I said it was just retrograding back for a short time. In fact, I believe that dip back into Sagittarius manifested as Gov. Sara Palin being named as VP nominee by John McCain. It was a life line tossed by the McCain campaign to the religious fundamentalist groups who are currently in control of our government. Hopefully the rope will slip from the hands on both sides.

There is no doubt, Pluto will bring change to governmental and societal structure and change is always painful. We are going to have to fasten our seat belts tightly as everything we once believed in and trusted is shaken to the core. This won’t be fun.The choice is ours – in our fear do we follow Saturn back to an even more restrictive and authoritarian government or do we hold on to Uranus and have it guide us to a more open, exciting and humanitarian government?

Second Presidential Debate – Showdown in Nashville

When they met for the first presidential debate, both candidates had so few aspects between their natal charts and the planets transiting over Oxford, Mississippi that it was difficult to figure out if anything would happen. I guess that is why it was sedate. This is not true for Oct. 7 and the Nashville debate. There is A LOT going on overhead!If I were advising the Obama campaign astrologically I would tell them this is the best time to try to get under McCain’s skin and allow America to see that famous McCain temper. Transiting Mars is in McCain’s 12th house and is conjuncting his natal Mercury. He is angry all right – seething with anger – and we will see it escape the confines of the secretive 12th house with barbs and comments directed toward the Democrat. McCain’s Mercury is squaring transiting Pluto at this time which will make him blunt and aggressive. So if Barack can get under his skin we might see a mini explosion of some kind – or at least a grimace or hairy eyeball!

Transiting Mars is also trining McCain’s Sun and his Moon is conjuncting the transiting Moon – there is a lot of emotional power behind what he is going to say – whether he taps into his anger and frustration at being behind in the polls or whether he comes out as the feeling, kinder, gentler McCain he portrayed in the 2000 election is up to him. With his Moon squaring transiting Mars I would preach to his advisers to do everything they can to make him to his “happy place” in his debate prep. If he turns his anger into an expression of caring i,e, I am so dedicated to helping the people of America – see how hard I fight for you —he will have a good debate. If he is rattled or shows his real anger underneath it will be a disaster for him.

Obama was blessed natally with a tight Saturn-Jupiter conjunction in his 3rd house, the house of communication. Saturn and Jupiter together is the placement of manifestation – Obama‘s conjunction is in two different planets – Saturn is in Capricorn and Jupiter just over the line in 0 degrees Aquarius. Thus he possesses the discipline of Saturn to transform the lofty ideals of Aquarius into those magnificent speeches that allow people to understand exactly what he wants to do as President. At the time of the debate, the transiting Moon is conjuncting this Saturn- Jupiter combination in his third house. He will have the ability to turn this town hall debate into a Clintonesque – I feel your pain. He will bear his soul and really connect with the people in the room.

In this area is in everything else during the debate, he is going to have to watch that he doesn’t go over the line. Transiting Uranus is conjuncting his natal Mars and transiting is Mercury is squaring his natal Mars as well – he is going to be willing to get to aggressive and say impulsively the wrong thing at the wrong moment. He might be guilty of the thing everyone was worried his VP candidate Senator Joe Biden would do. Mercury and Mars together is the recipe for aggressive speech – again going over the line is going to be his Achilles Heel. If his Leo rising confidence (which can sometimes translate into arrogance) doesn’t get the better of him he will have a good, aggressive, highly emotional evening and a big night that could close the deal for many Americans.

Both men have a Mercury-Sun conjunction transiting their 11th houses – the house of social outreach and working in groups – so each of their bases will get some satisfaction out of what they hear. This is going to be a highly charged, energetic meeting – where either man can hit a grand slam or fail miserably trying. McCain will need to keep his temper in check and Obama will have to avoid the desire to “go for the kill” and put McCain away and make a uncharacteristic verbal gaffe. Either man can fall victim to alienating a lot of people in the middle if they don’t fight the Mars impulses churning underneath but McCain has much more of a tight rope to walk.