Just now I'm looking at a chart of Tuesday night's presidential debate #2 between Barack Obama and John McCain in Nashville, TN, for 9:00 pm cdt, and you know what?
With 9Gem00 rising, asteroid Midas Rx is rising at 8Gem20 with one of the Royal Stars of Persia.
At Midheaven (MC), the Aspiration/Goal Point of the chart is 17AQ51 which 'debateably' brings in the Solar Eclipse of Feb, 2008...the 'Unmasking Eclipse' because '18AQ' is the "A Man Unmasked" degree in the Sabian Symbols.
This indicates that the purpose of this debate is to reveal true motives if you believe politics in a townhall format is able to do this. It would be refreshing, wouldn't it?
That each candidate will seek to unmask the other is a given while keeping their own masks snugly in place.
At MC is North Node (NN) 16AQ44 conj Chiron 16:12 Rx, with Neptune (the masses, plus NN is also 'contact with the public') so we have an important angular midpoint picture at the most public point in the chart...
Neptune/NN = MC: taking a position off the mainstream of life (in, no doubt, a
mavericky way); needing the help of others to realize one's objectives; preferring seclusion; emotional suffering.
To address the emotional (and financial) suffering of the American people should be an aspiration of this performance, one expects.
Moon 22Cap55 ('23Cap': "Two Awards for Bravery in War') is in 8th house of debt, credit, and other people's money, along with Jupiter 13Cap56 - still opposing US'(and George Bush's) natal Suns...
money and resources dried up...or more correctly: money in bank vaults not being shared with the people who need it most and whose spending would improve the economy if they could get their mitts on it.
But gold-hoarding Midas is rising along with Fixed Star Aldebaran, the brightest star of Taurus, keywords:
success through integrity. Aldebaran is one of the four Royal Stars of Persia and indicates success and glory but only if a particular nemesis can be overcome (Brady's
Book of Fixed Stars.)
Opposite is another Royal Star, Antares, in the debate's setting position - keywords:
success that can be obsessive. There is a need to avoid obsession with Antares, the star at the Heart of the Scorpion. If Antares affects a chart there is worldly success but one may cause his own undoing; there is usually a cleansing by going through a life-or-death experience (Brady.)
Remiiiind you of anyone?
That two Royal Stars are angular in this contest's chart indicates to me that this is a fated match-up of world proportions for America's helm. You are welcomed to see it differently, if you like.
So Antares is often mentioned in the same breath with the Celtic fable of the scorpion on the frog's back who stung the frog as he was being carried across the stream - his reply as to why he stung the frog when he promised not to - "it's my nature" - a fated answer since character IS fate. The scorpion drowned.
Does this relate to the McCain campaign's tactic of attacking Obama on character? Palin is now saying that Barack Obama is a bad person, not that his poliicies would be bad for the nation. But the
politics of demonization may backfire for John McCain, because the American people don't want to hear it, they want real solutions to the problems created primarily by politicians, bankers, and wheeler-dealers who sold our nation and our children's futures down the
pike.Cute winks and wrinkled noses won't solve anything.Chart-ruler Mercury, planet of oration, is still retrograde at 12Lib35 and trines the ASC, yet makes no applying aspects to any planets from its place in the debate's 5th house of Risk-taking.
Sun 15Lib10 is within one degree of US natal Saturn, and also in 5th house; this Airy Sun is trining the NN/Chiron conjunction at MC.
Scrappy Mars 2Sco38 begins in 6th house of Health, Work, and Service
and is the chart's final dispositor and ruler of the Hour.
All falls back on this strong Scorpionic Mars which I count as the ruler of Scorpio. There's an applying sesquisquare to Uranus, the rebel, 19Pis43 Rx, with Saturn 16Vir05...Saturn begins in 4th house, Uranus in 11th house of Groups and Associations.
Inhibiting Saturn is conjunct McCain's natal Neptune 16Vir07 which is the grim-face-of-reality-and-disillusionment transit previously mentioned in other posts.
When Saturn conjoins n Neptune (as it will soon in America's natal chart in late August-early Sept, 2009) there is a misinterprestation of what one is responsible for (more bankers' debts hoisted onto taxpayers' backs? Or perhaps the just-signed bailout bill showing its true motives and repercussions?), and the reality of situations is difficult to fully comprehend. Past lies and frauds may come to light under this difficult transit.
Monetary matters are particularly affected by Saturn-conj-Neptune, although charity donations may be put to more honest and focused use so that's good.
In his book
The Astrology of Relationships Michael R. Meyer says that a sesquisquare (135 degr), member of the octile family, is an aspect of
activity which culminates in a dramatic and intense release of dynamic energies.It is considered a weak square of difficulty - two interlaced squares...135 - 90 = 45...a square and a semisquare all in one.
Testy warrior Mars in waxing sesquisquare to maverick Uranus is a hot combo. In relationships this represents
powerful connections that could manifest either in an exciting and constructive way or a conflicting and difficult way.You don't want to miss this one, Ladies and Gents!
Now for the
Sun Lib-Moon Cap blend, an Air-Earth combo of rationality, innovation, and diplomacy...
Images for Integration: "The Statue of Liberty...At the annual company Christmas party, the chairman dresses up as Father Christmas and hands out new gold-engraved stationery for everybody." (
Sun Sign-Moon Sign, Chas & Suzy Harvey.)
So Father Christmas is handing out Midas' gold in Lady Liberty land? This I gotta see!
~:~correction: my Astrology friend Sasha has pointed out that the debate actually begins at 8:00 pm cdt so the rising of
Midas and
Aldebaran takes place an hour into the debate...thanks, Sasha! It will be interesting to see with my animated chart set up (SolarFire software) what's being said at the moment they arise and Antares sets. jc