This article first appeared in the November 2004 Planets And You in Dell Horoscope. It was submitted in May of 2004.

George Bush will (July 6, 1946 at 7:26 am EDT at New Haven, Ct.) have the October 13 solar eclipse (21 Libra) on his Midheaven/Jupiter midpoint. This is a very powerful and favorable development, raising his popularity and enhancing his reputation. Mars hits this point on October 28-29 so watch for developments on those days. Node, Venus, and Kronos are pulled into the picture, adding a positive aura to him and giving him some needed support from high places. The eclipse also picked up Moon/Hades, so there may be some unpleasant revelation about a woman, but he will likely survive this. The lunar eclipse is right on his Washington, DC relocated MC, a benefit. The President will be having his second Saturn return during the election. In fact, the November 7 Saturn station is within less than a degree from his natal Saturn, In fact, Mars squares his Saturn (and transiting Saturn) within days of the election. This Saturn station will be separating from a square to his Hades-MC conjunction, symbolic of a grueling campaign during which his detractors will hurl every imaginable brickbat at him. Saturn is also on his Sun-Mercury midpoint, making it tough for him to get his point across. The media, never on his side, will become even more militant. It is quite possible that he will win a Pyrrhic victory, one that is gained at some enormous expense such as his health. It is a fact that no US war president has finished a second term in office. Either, he has lost the subsequent election such as George Bush, Sr. or he has resigned (Nixon) or died (FDR). Such a serious development would be reflected in the USA national chart, and we do find confirmation. Pluto opposes the USA Mars as it did early in the year when Iraq became more violent. The October solar eclipse equals Kronos, the Uranian planet that symbolizes leadership, and also opposes progressed Uranus. This axis also includes many nasty midpoints.

John Kerry was born on December 11, 1943 in Denver. It was reported that he was born at 8:03 am MWT, according to AstroDatabank. This puts the Sun (19 Sagittarius) on the ascendant opposite the Moon at 17 Gemini, a full Moon. Neptune is a single degree off of his MC at 4 Libra, square his natal Mercury at 5 Capricorn. Neptune on the MC is a great aid in projecting his image and also explains his involvement with the anti-war movement and with 1960s campus radicals. It also explains his statement to the Harvard Crimson at age 27 that the USA should be controlled by the UN, a view held by his father. Neptune tends to dissolve the self into a group. The square to Mercury is also a problem. His statement that he voted for funding for the Iraq war, before he voted against it, was seen as deceptive. Then there was his charging his fellow soldiers with war crimes and supporting his allegations with testimony from "veterans" who had never been to Vietnam. In addition, he discarded war medals as a protest, but the medals were not his. And, the awarding of the actual medals has been disputed. The early 2004 station of Saturn in early Cancer made his Mercury-Neptune square into a t-square…and also deflated his verbal balloons as many of these previous facts came to light. His Mercury equals Hades/Vulcanus and Kronos/Zeus. This describes his revulsion at the military and his deceptive statements. It also impairs his ability to lead.

The most noticeable transit is that of Pluto over his Sun. The Moon-Vulcanus-Saturn conjunction in his 7^th house and opposing his Sun are an indication of the powerful effect that women have on his life. His Moon is 135 degrees to Venus. Remember that he is married to the heiress Theresa Heinz. Thus Pluto transiting his Sun is also opposing his Moon and his retrograde progressed Saturn at 19 Gemini 47. When Pluto reaches 23 degrees this winter, it will oppose his natal Saturn, which will be a big strain on his relationships. Pluto on the Sun is reflective of powerful forces around him. The opposition to progressed Saturn is an extreme measure of control, and Moon-Venus suggests a female involvement. This is likely the effect that Theresa has upon him; she is very political. There may be another woman having an effect- the junior senator from New York.

Kerry has Jupiter passing over his Neptune-MC conjunction in October, an excellent combination for whipping up a favorable image. But the solar eclipse is akin to a firecracker exploding in a pool of mud; it is in very close hard aspect to his Hades-Uranus opposition, which ties into his Mercury by a 75-degree angle. A very sudden and shocking revelation or statement could sink the Kerry boat. The Saturn station in November is in hard aspect to both his Mars and Venus, also a negative. It also opposes his progressed Mercury, making it tough for him to get his message across.

If Bush runs against Kerry, the incumbent has the edge, due to the effects of the October solar eclipse.

Postscript: This analysis was over in 15 minutes. Both Jayne and Johndro taught that eclipses are the most powerful effect in astrology. I always place the most recent eclipses in a horoscope first. Below, we see the President’s horoscope and note that the autumn 2004 solar eclipse at 21 Libra 06 was near his IC, thus it was angular and very powerful. The chart below that is his 90-degree wheel. Note that the eclipse was on his Jupiter/Midheaven midpoint. There is probably no greater indicator of popularity and public acceptance than this midpoint. To have the eclipse here was an exceptional augury of victory. The same eclipse in Kerry’s chart did not make a contact that was nearly as favorable-see the third chart that features the same 21 cardinal axis in Kerry’s chart and note no favorable combinations. The effect of transiting Jupiter in his chart could simply not be as powerful as a solar eclipse-Jupiter-MC connection in the President’s horoscope. Case closed.