Chicago, IL - articulate
Obama's Astro*Carto*Graphy map can only be fully understood with reference to his natal chart. His Moon line Rising in Washington DC and Jupiter MC/Mercury IC in Chicago can only be understood when we see how easily these planets can be integrated into his Natal Chart. Put simply, Obama's Moon is difficult due to the aspects and being a watery planet in a predominantly air/fire chart. While Mercury and Jupiter are much easier to express.
Extract from Astro*Carto*Graphy® Map
for Barack Obama
In Chicago Obama's skills as an orator, communicator & writer are most evident.  “If there is anyone out there who still doubts that
America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream
of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our
democracy, tonight is your answer.”
Obama's acceptance in Grant Park, Chicago on 4th November 2008 is arguably his greatest speech so far. On
his ACG map, Jupiter in Aquarius is at the MC and Mercury at the IC – ideal for
Obama for an historic, articulate and moving presentation watched by millions
around the world.
|
|
 |
Washington, DC - fraught emotions
However, Obama's upbeat and inspiring eloquence of Chicago is not so evident in Washington DC. Here, he has the Moon rising and the Sun slightly off the
IC. He will tend to react to new situations with clever words and quotable
sound bites, but he needs time to grasp the fundamentals. In Washington he
is more prone to emotional crises and will have to assert himself to avoid
getting swamped or being at the mercy forces beyond his control. With both
the Sun and Moon strong here, he will alternate between highly active periods of
strong leadership and then lapse into a surprisingly passive and flexible
role. Relations with women, including Michelle and Hillary Clinton may be strained here.
Organic Garden versus Foodstuffs industry
 Michelle Obama's organic garden is wonderfully symbolic of the Moon. Here Barack's wife is living out an important nurturing part of his chart. However, the challenge will be following through on this principle when it comes to legislation regulating organic farming and reining in the excesses of food companies like Monsanto. Pluto is about the big bucks and in this city money turns into power which can undermine home-spun ideals like an organic garden. We will see how this pans out!
Political divisions in Washington are too deep for adversaries to become allies
 Another manifestation of the Moon is Obama's desire to embrace all party followers - almost as if they are all part of one big American family. He offered senior positions to leading Republicans and tried hard to get unity on his stimulus package. However, these overtures were roundly rebuffed. The problem as I see it is that while his rivals can be close to him emotionally and understand where he is coming from, the policies of many Republicans especially over fiscal policy are utterly different. While they want money to go to the few so that it will trickle down through low taxes, Obama wants to spread wealth evenly to the many with public funding in a Keynesian way.
Obama and the Middle East
With Mars in 12th and Venus over Iran, his policy is likely to be more passive/aggressive and reflective than playing the 'Great Satan' of past Presidents. His M.O. is likely to be putting the decisions back onto Iran .
"The question, now, is not what Iran is against, but rather what future it wants to build."
~ Obama in Cairo [NY Times 2009]
It was his famous speech (June 4th 2009) in Cairo that defined his approach to the Middle East. Here he used his difficult Moon (emotional force) line helped by Pluto (transformative energy) and Chiron (healing energy) to great effect by invoking his personal experience and family (Moon). He did this by mentioning his remarkable personal story, his family, his Muslim ancestry, his middle name, Hussein and his racial connection with the oppressed. His speech also touched on the role of women (Moon):
"Time to act on what we know to be true."
"Our daughters can contribute as much as our sons."
"A woman who is denied education is denied equality."
"Suppressing ideas does not cause them to go away."
"Education and innovation will be the currency of the 21st century."
"America and Islam ... share common principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings."
"Be conscious of God and speak always the truth.[Koran]" ~Obama speech in Cairo [NY Times 2009]
| |
Europe - mixed challenges
 In Copenhagen, Obama has been remarkably ineffective in advancing the interests of his nation. Here he has many planets (Pluto,[Pluto in Mundo] Uranus, the Node and the Sun) in the 12th house.
In a September 2009 visit, he was unable to 'seal the deal for Chicago's 2016 Olympic Bid. As we know, the games were awarded to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Later in December of that year, he was outmanoeuvred by the Chinese [Lynas 2009] in the UN Climate Change Conference.[COP15]
Obama's European Tour
On his 2009 European Tour, there were misunderstandings (Neptune IC) in London as the then Prime Minister, Gordon Brown hoped some of Obama's fairy dust would land on him with an election looming. All he received from Obama were CDs that only worked in the US region and Brown lost the election the next year.
In Strasbourg, Obama was on his Uranus Rising line [Planet of unpredictability and Independent vision] and managed to shock and delight the world with his announcement that his objective was a world without nuclear weapons. But a day later as he hit his Pluto line in Prague and ironic twist of fate occurred ...
Prague: the Nuclear Nightmare Scenario
Pluto (and the Node) Rising. In the early hours,
Obama is woken up with news that North Korea has breached their treaty to launch
a long-range missile. The symbolism that his first global security crisis
should happen while he is briefly on his Pluto Rising line and that North Korea is on his Pluto MC line is impeccable.
Bad weather had delayed the
missile launch, so Kim Jong-il’s timing turned out to be a gift to Obama –
almost as if karma was at work in the universe to remind us of the threat. [Pluto and the Node often work in a way that seems fated]. Obama went on to deliver a
powerful speech on the impact of nuclear weapons and his goal of disarmament. Here is the place where Obama choose to slay or confront the nuclear dragon (Pluto/Node) of the past and to begin to rework the fundamental nature of the treaties based on the nuclear threat.
With the south node
setting, this location is a place to let go of outmoded partnership patterns.
In the updated ACG handbook published before this event, I wrote “arriving here could coincide with the beginning of the end of one type of partnership and the start of another”.
References:
Lynas, Mark (Dec. 22 2009) China sabotaged Copenhagen Deal to humiliate Obama and developed countries. The Guardian
COP15 = United Nations Climate Change Conference Copenhagen 2009 7 - 18 December 2009
Pluto in mundo. Though on the relocated chart, Pluto appears in Obama's 1st house, the 'in mundo' position shows that Pluto had actually risen. As you will see on Obama's Astro*Carto*Graphy map of Europe, Pluto was exactly on the horizon at Bremen, Germany some 240 miles (400kms) to the south west.
New York Times (June 4, 2009) Text: Obama’s Speech in Cairo
|
