Weekly NewsScope for December 13, 2004

Many political astrologers find the president's inaugural swearing-in ceremony to be a good celestial map for the coming term. Bush's 2001 Inauguration is a great example since Mars, the war planet, is angular in this chart and under tremendous stress by squaring Mercury and Uranus. The 9/11 terrorist attack, and the follow-up invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq fulfilled expectations.

Bush's 2005 Inauguration (January 20, 2005, noon, Washington D.C.) likewise features some dramatic placements that should unfold over the coming four years. The Mars-Pluto conjunction promises to continue the so-called War on Terrorism, and with this conjunction in the eighth house of corporate contractors, the Pentagon will likely be the major player mediating between the federal government and Big Business.

Several planets are angular, and each one brings its archetypal power into the political arena. Chiron, often called the Wounded Healer, is conjunct the Midheaven (MC). In this regard, it's noteworthy that the ailing, nearly retired Chief Justice Rehnquist will be administering the oath. Chiron is also known as the outsider or maverick, and at the MC it may describe the nation's current status as a maverick in the global community.

Saturn near the fourth house cusp shows plenty of domestic opposition to Bush, but this is weakened or even silenced since Saturn is retrograde and less effective in Cancer. The most precisely angular placement is Ceres, which is exactly conjunct the seventh house cusp. All issues associated with Ceres should become big news over the next four years, and this includes environmental concerns, abortion, and loss of loved ones.

George W. Bush's chief political strategist Karl Rove often compares himself to Mark Hanna, who was a 19th century industrialist, Senator from Ohio, and President William McKinley's closest adviser. Hanna was the prototype for the political kingmaker. He guided McKinley to his 1896 election, and according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, "personified the growing influence of big business in American politics".

Karl Rove's horoscope (December 25, 1950, Denver, CO; time unknown) has some strong parallels to Mark Hanna's (September 24, 1837; Lisbon, OH; time unknown). Rove's Sun is conjunct the political strategy asteroid Pallas, and the closest aspect Hanna's Sun makes is an inconjunction to Pallas. In this shared Sun-Pallas link we can see that the path to personal fulfilment for both men is as a political adviser.

Both men share a Mercury-Pluto aspect, which offers keen powers of observation and profound, analytical insights. Mercury-Pluto aspects are also motivated by a desire to influence public opinion, and persuade others toward their own worldview. Both men have their Mars in close aspect to the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant (Rove's in Aquarius squares, Hanna's is conjunct), showing how each pushes the country in a certain direction.

Karl Rove's Capricorn Sun squares Saturn, a doubled influence that confers tremendous ambition. Saturn represents one's inner authority, and may also represent an actual external role model. Hanna's Sun is also shaped by a close aspect to Saturn (the octile). It's no coincidence that Hanna's Libra Sun is exactly conjunct Rove's Saturn, so that he became Rove's role model.

Oscar-buzz is putting Martin Scorsese's film "The Aviator" as a frontrunner for Best Picture Award, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the eccentric Howard Hughes. In a recent interview, DiCaprio said he could easily identify with the reclusive billionaire because after his success in Titanic he felt "estranged from the world", and now he understands how fame can alienate one from reality.

Leonardo DiCaprio was born with his Sun in intense Scorpio (November 11, 1974; 2:47 am; Los Angeles), a position that is given dramatic depth with Pluto Rising. The Scorpio-Pluto individual's passion for exploring everything that is hidden and the quest for absolute power can create an isolated, out-of-touch personality, such as both DiCaprio and Hughes experienced.

DiCaprio and Howard Hughes (December 24, 1905; 10:12 pm; Houston) actually have little else in common between their two horoscopes. Hughes' tendency toward an obsessive-compulsive disorder was likely fostered by his Moon-Mercury-Venus triple conjunction opposite Pluto, a difficult combination not found in DiCaprio's chart. As The Aviator appears, the annual Sun-Pluto conjunction is exactly opposite Hughes' tenth house Pluto, highlighting his fascinating career.

That DiCaprio can convincingly play Howard Hughes is a testament to his acting ability rather than any strong natal comparisons. However, DiCaprio's IC (the horoscope's psychological foundation) is exactly conjunct Hughes' Sun, so he must have connected at some deep level. Also, DiCaprio's progressed Sun is now conjunct Hughes' Moon and Venus, where it illuminates the many beautiful women that Hughes dated, and the equally beautiful women who play them in this film.

Ukraine Notes: John Halloran emailed me with the following information: "The Olson public time zone database is the most complete in the world for time changes after 1970... It agrees with the ACS Atlas that Kiev changed from Moscow time to EET on July 1, 1990." Therefore, Ukraine's horoscope presented in NewsScope two weeks ago is the correct one with 26 degrees Capricorn Rising. For more info see: