Weekly NewsScope for February 18, 2008

Many readers have asked if I still believe that Hillary will get the nomination. Over a year ago, I wrote that Hillary and Obama would be the top contenders due to their connections to the U.S. Moon, and that ultimately Hillary would win. In light of Obama's recent string of primary victories and the way the primary schedule was dramatically shifted forward, it's time to re-visit his chart and find out why he's doing so well.

Barack Obama was born (August 4, 1961; 1:06 pm*; Honolulu, HI) with Uranus at 25º18' Leo, which is only 0º10' from an opposition to the U.S. Moon. This connection implies the radical change (Uranus) that he promises the American people (Moon). Uranus is prominently placed by being in his tenth house of career, and by the conjunction with the fateful North Node.

Obama's progressed (P2) chart tells the tale. The key to his current success can be found in his P2 Jupiter, which is at 27º20' Capricorn. In addition to being precisely quincunx his North Node (at 27º18' Leo), it's also closely conjunct the U.S. Pluto, the ruler of the Scorpio Rising U.S. horoscope. P2 Jupiter to the U.S. Pluto brings the support of the most powerful and influential people in the nation.

This rare and spectacular alignment is in place for many years, since his progressed Jupiter is stationary. However, his progressed Sun at 27º Virgo is now activating this complex by making a perfect trine to his progressed Jupiter. This extremely favorable celestial set-up has been in effect during the front-loaded primaries, and becomes exact on March 7. So his momentum should continue through then, right through the all-important Texas and Ohio primaries on March 4.

Last week, Hillary Clinton replaced her campaign manager and admitted that she had loaned her campaign $5 million from her own account. As her once inevitable victory faced the reality of a surging Obama, Clinton began re-phrasing her message to reach voters in Ohio and Texas. Meanwhile, politicos weighed the shifting odds that the 796 superdelegates will decide the nominee at the August convention.

Hillary Clinton's horoscope (October 26, 1947; 8:00 am; Park Ridge, IL) features Mercury conjunct her Scorpio Ascendant square Saturn near her Midheaven. This angular configuration emphasizes her practical, logical, no-nonsense approach to politics. She calls herself a "problem solver", but over the past several weeks, transiting Neptune has entered into this mix, eroding her authority and command of the game plan (Saturn in Leo).

From Hillary's perspective, transiting Neptune has arrived in the form of Barack Obama. Neptune specializes in hope, vision, and inspiration, which Obama personifies since his Leo Sun squares Neptune. While Hillary has the nuts-and-bolts experience (Saturn), Obama has the ability to evoke the dream of a better, more unified world (Neptune). Fortunately for Hillary, Neptune has moved out of her Mercury-Saturn complex, as the doubt and uncertainty are being put behind her.

The planetary alignment that triggered her campaign shuffle** is also just completed, and Mercury has just turned direct, so I suspect she will engineer a decent turn around by March 4. Transiting Saturn will be exactly conjunct her Midheaven then, as her political future hangs in the balance. If Obama can't deliver a knock-out blow then (under his best astrological prospects), then the fight continues, perhaps all the way to the convention in late August.

From the many readers requesting more on the election process came this comment: "I wish you would devote your entire column to the current political landscape." And in fact, there is much to discuss, so here's a brief summary of the dynamics shaping up...

Mars recently turned direct and is heading into an opposition with Pluto, which will be exact on March 7. This aggressive, mission-oriented vibe is already a factor now, and will just be getting stronger as we head into the critical March 4 primary. Hillary Clinton, with her natal Mars-Pluto conjunction, knows how to use this combination.

Obama and Hillary have many natal chart factors in common, notably their Leo-Scorpio dynamic, which has allowed them to vocalize their mutual respect. However, one alignment is particularly prickly, and that's his Mars at 22º Virgo opposite her Moon at 22º Pisces. In late May transiting Uranus will be at 22º Pisces, activating this underlying nerve center. This may be when the DNC decides what to do about Michigan and Florida delegates, if these two are still locked in a tie by then.

On January 14, 1982 ("just before midnight"***), the Hunt Commission approved a measure alloting a group of seats to party big-shots at the Democratic National Convention who would not be bound by primaries and caucuses. This moment can be used to cast the chart for the so-called superdelegates, the ones that are in play this year. This chart features the Sun in Capricorn square a Saturn-Pluto conjunction, and reflects how the superdelgates are drawn from the more mainstream elements of the DNC, which naturally favors Hillary Clinton.

* see NewsScope for December 4, 2006, or visit www.neptunecafe.com/obama.html for more details and extended discussion of his chart.

*** The article was written on January 15, 1982 by David Broder for The Washington Post, and can be found at www.neptunecafe.com/superdelegates.html