Henry Seltzer's Notes on the Candidates

In reviewing the candidates' charts, Barack Obama's Aquarius rising and Uranus - North Node conjunction stands out (Obama's Full Natal Report). We might expect a strong Uranus from him, since that planet stands above all for revolutionary change. Obama's campaign is all about change, and the time itself cries out for change, with transiting Uranus in the sky exactly opposing Saturn on Election Day. Uranus, that planetary energy that represents change at all cost, inevitable change that moves the culture closer to an enlightened position, the "New Age" if you will, exactly opposes Saturn, representing the energy for limitation, for looking before you leap, and for the conservative position of the status quo. It is tempting to say that the McCain – Palin ticket represents this force for the status quo, but of course it is not that simple.

The chart of Barack Obama. His Aquarius rising Ascendant is aspected by that same transiting position of Uranus, and more importantly is also ruled by Uranus. Aquarius is the sign of revolution and change, but also is quite a rational sign as well, a little cold perhaps, and this shows up in Barack's public appearances, which are a demonstration of fierce intelligence, unemotional calm and logic. He has a good dose of Saturn as well, revealing his conservative side, which is also evident in his positions. Stodgy old Saturn trines his Mars and aspects his Uranus, an inconjunct aspect that is exact to within a tenth of a degree. Since the opposition of these same planets in the sky is closing in, in the first of five passes, as we get closer and closer to Election Day he is truly a man for these times. Meanwhile, his chart ruler, Uranus, conjuncts his North Node, or his destiny position, in the 7th House of partnership. This last is consistent with his stated goal of working with others to achieve social change. As he often says – "this campaign isn't about me, it's about you."

This essential compassion in Obama's makeup is also reflected by the placement of Chiron in the First House of his chart. This indicates an identity wound which, it seems, he has largely dealt with while growing up. He has alluded to how his skin color was a trial for him in the educational circles that he has obviously traveled in, as well as his African heritage. This placement suggests a healer, someone perhaps to "bind up the nation's wounds" in the sense of Lincoln. Lincoln too had this placement, as did Martin Luther King Jr. – a person who obviously took the national divide between the races head on.

The chart of Joe Biden. He is perhaps the most spiritual of the candidates, as revealed in his strong Neptune placement at the very top of the chart, and his loaded Twelfth House. This is consistent with his image in Washington as a straight-shooter who cares more about his family than the trappings of office. His motivation seems to be genuine caring for his constituents. He too, like the others, has a strong Uranus and Saturn, both, since they are actually conjunct in his chart. This is another remarkable demonstration of how the times seem to align with the persons to meet these times.

Joe Biden's Chiron placement in the Ninth House of higher mind, and conjunct his North Node, shows a person who is a little afraid of erudition, preferring to represent himself as a man of the people rather than an intellectual, and who has a strong desire to empathize with the suffering of others and to make a philosophical commitment to healing himself and others, as he has perhaps shown in his life-long commitment to public service.

The chart of John McCain. He is of course the original self-styled "maverick" Senator or Congressperson and he has a strong set of Uranus aspects as well. Uranus squares his Mars and trines his Sun. So there is a dimension of the man that runs against the status quo, as well as a part of him that represents it. That representation of status quo is clearly indicated by his strongly placed Saturn in the First House, the sector of identity, opposing his chart ruler, Neptune and also Venus, and squaring Chiron. He therefore identifies strongly with conservative principles, even as he remains uneasy about this identification. Saturn – Neptune also reveals a cynical streak that shows up in his public appearances, and that has gotten him into trouble.

As far as Chiron goes, in McCain's chart, we find Chiron in the Fourth House, in square to Saturn, Venus and Neptune, and opposed to Jupiter. This strong placement suggests one who has come through a considerable degree of suffering in his life, as is indeed the case, and has largely risen above it. The Saturn square suggests an authority wound, someone who does not take orders very well, a "maverick" in other words, and who still exhibits issues there, as is also evident at times in his public pronouncements.

The chart of Sarah Palin. She has a good dose of Uranus herself, having it on her Second House cusp and in strong aspect to her natal Moon (see chart). This explains the rebel in her, and her suitability as an exemplar of what McCain calls a "maverick" attitude. She also has Uranus in almost exact bi-quintile aspect to Mercury. Both of these aspects from Uranus to personal planets help to explain her terrific sense of humor, as revealed when she commented that she enjoyed Tina Fey's portrayal of herself "with the sound turned off," and even more so with her actual appearance on SNL, with Tina Fey, on a recent weekend. With a Sun-Mars-Saturn conjunction in the Seventh House she also has a strongly conservative side as evidenced in the actual positions that she takes.

Sarah Palin's Chiron opposes Pluto, which has the delineation of potential abuse of power, of which she has been accused, and also opposite Uranus, showing uneasiness with the iconoclast status that she also enjoys. The reading in the TimePassages software includes: "You are both very unconventional yet also somewhat unsure of yourself in your very departure from the rest of society, so that you may surprisingly show flashes of a conservative side. You have a brilliant mind, and are undoubtedly a witty conversationalist, although with a slightly erratic tendency to switch topics arbitrarily."

« Back

Get Your Free Birth Chart!

Learning Astrology

Henry Seltzer's Notes on the Candidates