Saturn Likes Barack Better*

2008 Presidential Election Predictions

by Jeff Jawer

Election Day, November 4, is charged with so much astrological intensity that it's likely to change the world. Saturn, the planet of old structures and forms, precisely opposes Uranus, the planet of breakthrough, in a series of aspects that won't finish until the summer of 2010. This shape-shifting event on Election Day is a powerful signal of the breakdown of the old order that has already begun with the recent financial crisis. The events that are shaking the economy now do not mark the end of a period of transition, but are the first ripples in an ocean of change.

This pattern -- and the polls -- appear to favor Barack Obama, who would be our first multi-racial president and who is running as the candidate of change. He is Uranus, the surprise element on the national scene, while John McCain represents Saturn, the planet of old age and tradition. It is interesting to note, though, that the positions are reversed when it comes to temperament. Obama reflects the calm self-control of Saturn and McCain is volatile Uranus.

Three other astrological events make November 4 an especially complex day. Mars, the action planet, makes a tense 90-degree square with slippery Neptune. This combination represents the possibility for trickery that has marred so many elections in the past. However, a more enlightened interpretation of this pair is one of peace, as the warrior (Mars) is tempered by Neptune's idealism and spirituality, recalling what Lincoln termed the "better angels of our nature." Communicative Mercury enters mysterious Scorpio on November 4, another source of worry for cynical astrologers who see this sign's secrecy as a signal of a stolen election. A more hopeful view is that the penetrating perception of Mercury in Scorpio will cut through the clouds of political puffery and instead deliver some truth. The Moon, the planetary arbiter of moods, begins the day in Saturn's sign of Capricorn and ends it in Uranus' sign of Aquarius. The former tends toward conservatism, while the latter is liberal. Some astrologers believe that having the Moon in Capricorn when voting starts favors McCain, while others think that polls closing with the Moon in Aquarius benefits Obama.

The Astrology of the individual candidates' charts does not provide a crystal clear picture of the outcome, which is why we're relying primarily on the general trends and symbolism of the day. McCain, a Virgo born August 29, 1936, had Saturn pass over his Sun in July. The planet of crystallization with the Sun often sets enduring patterns. This was the time when McCain was either going to establish himself as the clear leader or get stuck in a weakened position. Obama, a Leo born August 4, 1961, had Saturn making a stressful square to his Gemini Moon in June. If he wasn't brought down then, I believed that he would be likely to win the election.

Jon Stewart recently asked Obama if he would be able to work with McCain after the election. Unsurprisingly, Obama said that there is always conflict in a campaign but that he thought they could. It's clear that McCain's discomfort with Obama during the debates was more than election season rivalry. The Senator from Arizona's aggressive Mars falls right on Barack's Sun, making Obama a natural target for John's anger. Regardless of the outcome, don't count on seeing these two singing "Kumbaya" together any time soon.

*[Editor's Note: This article was written days before the election on November 4, 2008]

About the Author
Jeff Jawer is the co-author of Barnes & Noble's 'Your Astrology Guide 2009.' A professional astrologer since 1973, his articles have appeared in Astrology journals, magazines and Web sites around the world. He holds a B.A. in The History and Science of Astrology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and teaches and lectures both in the United States and abroad.