Weekly NewsScope for March 15, 2004

Will Bush dump Cheney to reverse his slide in the polls? Bush stood by his Vice President last week, and most observers feel that if he did drop Cheney from the ticket, it would be an unappealing sign of desperation or weakness. Still, as NewsScope readers have known for some time (see July 29, 2002), Cheney's horoscope reveals that he may indeed be bumped.

Following up on last week's column, whoever is elected Vice President in 2004, stands a good chance of becoming president before the 2008 election cycle. Several readers have proposed that Bush's political confidant Condoleezza Rice (November 14, 1954; about 11:30 am; Birmingham, AL) will be Cheney's replacement. At the moment, transiting Uranus trine her Mercury is creating plenty of buzz about her potential.

And her prospects for becoming Vice President also look good. As transiting Saturn enters her sixth house of work, it forms trines to all her elevated Scorpio planets, strengthening her professional standing. Her progressed chart* looks exceptionally favorable as well, and points to unique opportunities shaping up. If she isn't selected as his Vice President, she will at least continue a strong rise in her professional role.

However, if we continue to speculate, one celestial sign that she may indeed become President is her natal Mars-Saturn square. This aspect is what pushes her to succeed despite all obstacles, and happens to be precisely aligned with the all-important angles in the Scorpio Rising U.S. horoscope. When Neptune opposes the U.S. Midheaven to activate the Presidential Death Cycle, it also activates her Mars-Saturn square. The two coincide in time.

Last week's devastating bomb attacks in Madrid were quickly followed by mass demonstrations against the violence. Spanish investigators were focusing on Basque separatists, while international intelligence were more disposed to blaming Al Qaeda. Whether the terrorist act was designed to swing election results or punish Spain for supporting the U.S. remains unknown.

While many political astrologers use the inauguration of King Juan Carlos (November 22, 1975; 12:45 pm; Madrid) as the national horoscope for modern Spain, an earlier chart better fits the current events. This horoscope is set for the creation of Spain when Juan II of Aragon died on January 19, 1479 at 7:00 am in Madrid**.

Among the exceptional planetary combinations in this 1479 horoscope is the epochal conjunction between Uranus and Neptune in the first degree of Sagittarius. This rare outer planet alignment is supported by sextiles to Pluto on one side, and the Sun and Mercury on the other. As Spanish authorities have noted, ever since Uranus entered Pisces and formed a square to this Uranus-Neptune duo, the extremist group ETA has been plotting violence.

However, astrologer Charles Harvey notes that the natal horoscope for Islam in 622 AD also features the rare Uranus-Neptune conjunction and is adversely connected to Spain's planets. At the time of the blasts, which began at 7:30 am on March 11, transiting Mars was just entering the fourth house of the homeland. The most astonishing correlations can be found by progressing the 1479 horoscope, and features an explosive progressed Mars conjunct the Uranus-Neptune pair.

The Ladies First roadshow got underway last week, an ambitious musical event centered on the collective talents of three popular divas. The queen of the show is Beyonce Knowles, who recently received five Grammys for her first solo album "Dangerously in Love". The tour is expected to play 23 dates by the end of April, and gross some $500,000 per night.

Beyonce Knowles was born a well-trained Virgo (September 4, 1981; Houston, TX; time unknown). Ever since the age of seven she's been refining her skills for the music business. With her Sun conjunct the parenting asteroid Ceres, much of her identity was carefully crafted and polished by her father, who is also her manager. Being a modest Virgo helps her to refuse to act like a stuck-up diva.

The prominence of Venus in her chart reflects her innate goddess status. Venus is conjunct Pluto, a charismatic, erotic combination that is enhanced by a sextile to glamorous Neptune. Venus is also inconjunct (150 degrees) Chiron, giving her an urgent need to demonstrate her feminine power. These outer planet connections to her Venus offer the natal potential of representing the ideal of beauty to the masses.

As the concerts unfold over the next month, transiting Pluto will be conjunct her Neptune and sextile her Venus, so that she radiates a vibe of empowered womanhood, not only for herself, but for all her fans as well. Factor in Jupiter's current transit over her Sun, and Beyonce is bound for fame and success. Step aside Britney....

* Secondary progressed (P2) Mars trine her Sun-Venus conjunction, P2 Venus conjunct Ceres and trine Uranus-Jupiter, P2 Sun sextile Saturn. Her approximate birth time is derived from Antonio Fox's biography "Condi: The Condoleezza Rice Story" which states on page 41 that "Condi was born on a Sunday morning while her father was leading the eleven o'clock service at Westminster, a fitting time for a child of deeply religious parents to enter the world." Also, a fitting time for someone to be born with five planets in the ninth house of religion!

** According to political astrologer Charles Harvey in Anima Mundi, page 111. Also note that the P2 Moon is conjunct Mars, P2 Mars is sextile Pluto, and P2 Mercury is opposite a twelfth house Venus. No astrologer who uses secondary progressions and this foundation chart for Spain would miss the connections to terrorist activity.