In a move that has surprised most political commentators, Barack Obama has firmly nailed his colours to the mast and has signalled his intention to run again for a second term as President of The United States. I look at Barack the man, why astrologically he has announced to run now and I look ahead to 6th November 2012, election day.
Barack was born on 4th August 1961 at 19.24 in Honolulu, Hawaii. A proud Leo Sun sign, he has a media savvy Gemini Moon and a cool yet sociable Aquarius ascendant. A quick look at the pattern of the chart shows most of the planets in the Western hemisphere; this is a man who thinks of other people before he thinks of himself and with 5 planets in fixed signs he is determined but a little stuck in his ways.
The Sun and Mercury sit in wide conjunction in showbiz Leo. All Leos love to be the centre of attention ( I should know as I am a Leo too) and Barack is no exception. He will be proud, individual and he will want to be the best he can be. Being at the top is natural for most Leo’s it’s the place they naturally believe they should be. Mercury in Leo makes Barack have strong opinions which he will express with gusto, he is a strong confident orator who will like to put on a show. In the sixth house this combination adds a great attention to detail in his day to day work, getting to grips with the smallest problem, Barack is an organizer supreme and quite a perfectionist. He will also be very conscious of his health and will a great fan of keeping fit and healthy and his vision to overhaul the US health system shows this.
Opposite Mercury is Saturn and Jupiter. As well as the small details, Barack will also be able to express the bigger picture and his communication will have a serious, hard-nosed edge with Saturn exceptionally strong in Capricorn. Woe betide anyone who crosses Barack, as he is one tough cookie who will show little mercy. He will have a stern temper with Saturn trine Mars and he has a great store of energy and controlled ambition pushing him to the top. Jupiter is in socially aware Aquarius thus Barack’s big vision and belief is being fair to all, not just those at the top. This is backed up with socially orientated Libra on the cusp of the 8th house of change and taxation. Where Saturn and Jupiter gives someone a balanced outlook, it sometimes holds you back. I often find people with this aspect cannot make up their mind or will go for the more conservative option rather than taking a risk or two. Barack’s catchphrase in the 2008 election was “Yes we can!!”, not “Yes we will!!”. Very Saturn Jupiter in that regard, Barack will always find it rather easier to sit on the fence.
Saturn is retrograde as always this indicated that the love of the father was missing. As we know, his parents separated when he was just 3 years old. With a peregrine Uranus conjunct his North Node, his relationship with his mother was distant and cold. This Uranus will tend to dominate the chart and Obama’s demeanour is strangely similar, kind, sympathetic but with a cool edge. His path in life will be to be very socially aware, a humanitarian and setting a radical agenda.
Those cool emotions are also shown by the Moon in restless Gemini. He will be very aware of “the message”, always wanting to be informed and aware of the latest news. He will also want to control the message and it’s content with the Moon square Pluto in critical Virgo. His family and especially his children will be very dear to him and he will want to keep their upbringing very much in a secure and private environment, shown by the Moon sitting in the fourth house.
Next door in the fifth house we see Venus. This is a very romantic, gentle Venus being trine to Neptune. A lover of romance, he will appreciate the love of his wife Michelle, be a bit of a dreamer and may have artistic or creative flair. For sure Barack will be a big sports fan and appreciative of competition. Neptune in the ninth shows an appreciation of all type of faith, no matter how unusual. It also shows that his education was very confused and disrupted. Interestingly Neptune is square the Sun, here is a possibility for using drugs and or alcohol to escape from reality and the difficult aspects of his life.
Finally I look at the 7th house of partners and marriage. Here we find Pluto, Mars and that peregrine (not connected to any other planet by major aspect) Uranus. I wonder about this combination. Sure he will be attracted to strong feisty women with Mars here, and Michelle is certainly that, but he will also be very irritable man to live with as he is such a perfectionist (Mars in Virgo). That stand alone Uranus here in the 7th tends to say to me that the relationship with his wife may be a bit cooler than we think. Pluto suggests that through marriage Barack’s life was transformed, however in the future, this same Pluto through a malefic transit could also herald a further change of perspective in the direction of his life. We shall see.
So why did Obama move now to get his Presidential campaign running so early. Well transiting Saturn is sextile his natal Sun so a good time to show his authority and express his desire to progress further. Also transiting Mars and Uranus are trine Mercury and sextile Uranus so he felt in essence he was feeling lucky and confident to push his message and shock people with the timing. Transiting Pluto is also trine natal Pluto and with Scorpio on his Midheaven showing he needed ultimate control in his work (being President), this was a time to try to strengthen that tight grip on the reigns of power. Scorpio and Pluto are relentless in their pursuit of such things.
On 6th November next year I think it could be tight for him. He will still have that transiting Pluto trine Pluto very close to being exact, however the Moon will be square his natal Neptune so a bit dreamy and confused. As well as that, transiting Neptune square his Midheaven which is a bit depressing and transiting Saturn will be square natal Mercury so possibly tough news. We will know more as a challenger appears on the scene and I can look at his or her chart.
Update 28th April 2011 – Birth Certificate
President Obama’s birth certificate was published by the White House today to allay fears by some Republicans, in Particular Donald Trump that he was actually born outside the US. The situation astrologically was caused by Neptune in the past couple of months being square to Barack’s natal Midheaven. Neptune has been transiting through Barack’s first house of personal identity causing confusion (Neptune) about his public position (Midheaven). Obama shocked people with this act and looking at the chart, transiting Uranus is trine to his natal Mercury and his Midheaven bringing unexpected (Uranus) news (Mercury) about his right to do his job (Midheaven). By looking at extended house rulership, Uranus rules the chart and his projection to the world with Aquarius on his ascendant. Mercury rules both Gemini and Virgo which on the 5th and 8th house cusps. This was a carefully assessed risk (5th house) to expose his origins (1st house) in order to change other peoples views (8th house).
