As the 2008 presidential race heats up, astrologers feel somewhat at a loss making predictions because the birth times of two of the major players, Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama, are unknown. For Hillary, the two most common times are 8:00 am and 8:00 pm Central Standard Time on October 26, 1947 in Chicago, Illinois. In one chart, she has Gemini Ascendant, while in the other she has Scorpio Ascendant. The two Midheavens, the career point at the top of the chart, are opposite each other: 4th Virgo on Chart 1 versus 5th Pisces on Chart 2. The positions of the houses of the planets, however, they are not all opposite each other on the chart 1. two graphs, so real estate investing should be revealing.
In general, with a questionable birth time, I would recommend against making a snap judgment based on the rising sign. Many factors could affect the way the rising sign is expressed: planets in the first house; planets that make hard aspects to the same Ascendant; and the sign, the location of the house and the aspects of the ruler of the Ascendant. For example, Pluto square the Ascendant would give a certain Scorpio tinge to the outer personality, although not as obvious as Pluto conjunct the Ascendant. Uranus conjunct the Ascendant could create an Aquarius type, in spades. A person rising in Leo with the Sun (ruler of Leo) in Cancer in the 12th house would not necessarily register as a Leonine.
In the case of Hillary Clinton, however, the differences between the two Ascendants are suggestive. The time of 8:00 pm gives rise to Gemini, with Uranus in the 12th house conjunct the Ascendant. It’s true that Hillary champions liberal causes, but Uranus conjunct the Ascendant should indicate more of a rebel or maverick, and with Uranus in the 12th house, her involvement is likely to backfire on her. The 8:00 am chart, with Mercury in Scorpio at the 12th conjunct the Ascendant, makes a little more sense. She is a power speaker, political to the core, shrewdly analyzing her every move. However, her cunning is shown all too clearly, making her less liked by some segments of the population. In either case, however, the Ascendant has a Mercurial undertone: Gemini vs. Ascendant. Mercury conjunct the Ascendant, so we must remain undecided on this point.
The 12th house is extremely prominent on the 8:00 am chart, with four planets (including the personal ones, the Sun, Mercury and Venus, and Chiron) in Scorpio. It’s a popular misconception that 12th house types tend to fade into the background: George W. Bush also has the Sun in the 12th house, along with Saturn. All we can say for sure about a Sun in the 12th house is that the person’s true self is hidden from the general public. Since 12 is traditionally the home of secret enemies and “self-destruction,” Hillary’s stellium could be relevant to the political scandals that marred the Clinton administration. The Venus-Chiron conjunction in the 12th House in Scorpio could also partly explain her apparent tolerance of Bill Clinton’s sexual dalliances. (With a completely unknown birth time, it would be hard to tell whether Pluto or Scorpio was operating in the 12th house – remember what I said earlier about false positives.)
Uranus is the only planet at 12 on the 8:00 pm chart; instead, the fifth house is prominent, with three planets in Scorpio plus Neptune in Libra. This combination does not ring true. Even though former first daughter Chelsea Clinton is clearly a much-loved child, with that stellium in the fifth I wouldn’t expect an only child, but rather a lively offspring. (Of course, not everyone with a strong fifth house has children; for example, some of these natives are creative artists or artists, and some work with children as a career.) Based on our analysis so far, I favor the 8:00 am chart.
The biggest remaining difference is the location of the triple conjunction of Mars, Saturn, and Pluto in Leo. In the 8:00 am chart, these planets are in the 9th house; on the 8:00 pm chart, they are in 3rd. Yes, having the trio in the 3rd house (communication and thinking) of the 8:00 pm chart might fit Hillary’s penetrating mind and powerful speaking skills. However, that quality could also be explained in the 8:00 am chart with Mercury on the Ascendant, closely square Saturn and trine the Moon. The placement of this planetary trio in the 9th house in the am chart also shows Hillary’s success in Ivy League law school and her persistent activism in legislation. Mars, Saturn and Pluto in the 9th house could also represent the legal battles and even dirty politics that she has become embroiled in, including several legal actions against the Clintons during her years in the White House.
Finally, à la carte am transits make the most sense, with Saturn transiting the 9th house, given his highly political stance and position in Congress for the past few years. Saturn has been crossing back and forth over that 4 degree Virgo Midheaven since October 2007, and has been running and running hard for all these months. As a good proof of the 8:00 am birth, Saturn will make its last conjunction with that Midheaven around July 1, 2008.
If that’s the right graph, her race for the Democratic presidential nomination should reach a decision point at which point she prevails or resigns, and if she does resign, we’ll know whether or not she’s willing to run for vice president. The details I can’t predict, but when Saturn crosses the Midheaven, they usually get promoted. The presidency is the promotion she hopes for, but the vice presidency is a step above that of a senator or first lady.