Looking Back: My 2000 Presidential Election Prediction

As the 2008 Presidential election campaign continues in full swing, I am researching, comparing charts of McCain, Obama, Biden and Palin and writing up my prediction of the outcome. My prediction of the winner of the 2008 Presidential election will be posted in the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime, I thought I would post my 2000 prediction, just for fun. This 2000 prediction was written in September 2000 and posted to the Washington Post site where I was a weekly show host at the time:

The 2000 Astrological Presidential Race

Since 60 Minutes broke the “new age pundit” taboo on October 1st with Andy Rooney’s graphology

(handwriting) analysis of the presidential candidates, it seems logical to follow-up with an astrological

assessment of the race. With that, I’ve decided to throw my turban into the ring of political

commentators and offer my celestial opinion on the election outcome.

 

Back in March, when I first addressed the presidential campaign on my weekly online astrology program on www.washingtonpost.com , I said that the election would be extremely close. George Bush and Al Gore have very similar birth charts; Both have theatrical and confident Leo ascendants,  both have volcanic, transformative Pluto in their first house (which signifies new beginnings) and both have pioneering Aries on their MidHeaven. Certainly both charts show leadership capability and ambition.

 

George W. is actually a very sensitive person (Sun in Cancer) and has a close relationship with his parents – especially his mother. He can be very charming even when he is emotionally pressed (moon in Libra) and exudes great confidence on first impression (Leo rising, Mercury, Pluto and Venus in Leo in the first house). He is an expansive thinker and loves to pontificate on his ideas (Mercury in Leo). With his sun in the 12th house, he aches to serve people. Charity work, volunteer work or other public service professions are indicated (ahem..). Yet, he may not feel especially confident in this area of his life (Saturn, the great teacher, sits in the 12th house) and has learned and will learn through tough

experience how to succeed in recognizing and accomplishing his dreams.

 

Al Gore is careful and conservative in his emotions; moon in Capricorn makes him reserved and uncomfortable in expressing his emotions. Mercury in Pisces however, makes him an emotional, romantic and utopian type of thinker. There is quite a bit going on under the surface with this man. He is a gallant warrior with Mars in dramatic Leo and Sun in Aries and will go to the limit for a cause he believes in. Just don’t expect him to be effusive about it. With his sun in the 9th house of philosophy, he sees the big global picture and has great breathe of vision for his dreams. He wants to reach out to as many people as possible all at once and change the world. With his Saturn in the 1st house, he may give a very serious first impression and may appear shy or reserved. But with three planets and an ascendant in fiery Leo and that pioneering Aries sun, he is quite capable of winning folks over and accomplishing great things.

 

The crucial difference in their charts, which in my opinion gives the slight edge to Gore, is transiting

Pluto (the planet of power and transformation). Pluto will be 11 degrees on election day, powering Gore’s natal Pluto in 12 degrees in Leo while waning in Bush’s 10 degrees in Leo. (See how close that is?). In addition, both men have their Vertex (a power point in the chart) in Sagittarius with Gore at 19 and Bush at 23 degrees. Pluto is now in Sagittarius and heats up both candidate’s Vertexes but a little more oomph will be felt by Gore. It looks like a squeaker for Gore to this astrologer.

 

But just to be sure, I cast a chart for election night November 7 at 11:55pm in Washington DC and compared this chart to both Gore’s and Bush’s birth charts. The chart itself for election day has Saturn as the highest planet in the chart – work, work, work to reach your goals. Leo is rising (just like in Gore’s and Bush’s chart) indicating a theatrical look to the entire process. Active, energetic Mars sits in the 2nd house of money (no surprise…) and Uranus and  Neptune (surprises and foggy thinking) are in the 6th house of work. Anything is possible.

Bush will make a strong finish on election night – his Saturn is aspecting well to transiting Saturn in the

10th house indicating rewards for hard work in the area of career. But ultimately, it is applying Pluto

surging into Gore’s Pluto that can bring him over the finish line first.

 

So Madam Lichtenstein projects Al Gore to be the winner. This is irrespective of swing states, straw

polls, debates, focus groups and Pat Buchanan (who is certainly a  Saturnian element in this race).