THE NODES AND PREDICTING THE 2012 ELECTION OUTCOME

Now that the election is over, hindsight enables astrologers who predicted the election outcome, an opportunity to analyze the accuracy of their technique. I first looked at the election in the fall of 2011, when I was writing the chapter on President Obama for my book. At the time, the front running Republican was uncertain, but it seemed to me as if all fingers were pointing at Mitt Romney, and so, I looked at both their charts to see what nodal aspects they would experience come election day.

            History is always a good guide and since both men had lost big elections, it was instructive to check this out too (these charts aren’t shown here, but they’re in my book on pages 242 and 258). In 2000, Obama lost his primary bid to become the Democratic nominee for Illinois in the U.S. Congress. The transiting nodes were at 1° Leo, aligned with his natal Mercury-Jupiter opposition. Given natal Jupiter (ruling the 11^th) at the South Node, this expressed as the loss of a dream. Romney lost his election to become Senator of Massachusetts in 1994, eighteen years ago (think one nodal cycle). At the time, the transiting North Node was at 15° Scorpio square natal Pluto at the South Bending. While there were other confirming aspects in play, this described a loss of power.

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            Fast forward to 2012, with the transiting nodes at 26° Scorpio-Taurus. For Obama, they aligned with his Mc-Ic axis, with the North Node at the top of the chart. This was square the natal North Node at the transiting North Bending, signaling a time of professional culmination. It would not be an easy fight. The transiting North Node was square natal Uranus (and the natal North Node) at the South Bending, denoting a drain of energy for the president (Uranus rules the Ascendant). [It is important to see this distinction: the transiting North Node is at the North Bending of the natal North Node; the natal North Node is at the South Bending of the transiting North Node.] 

   Transiting Neptune, now fully engaged in Pisces, had separated from its conjunction with the natal South Node, an aspect that had coincided with a sustained period of financial infighting over the country’s dismal economy (Neptune rules the 2^nd house of money, and, in a leader’s nativity, personal aspects often translate into public concerns). With this aspect over, and with assistance from natal Saturn and progressed Jupiter, energized through a sextile/trine to the transiting nodes, Obama emerged victorious.

            For Romney, the transiting North Node was conjunct his natal Moon-Jupiter conjunction, a position that would auger well, except for the fact that Jupiter rules Romney’s 7^th house, which represents his opponent—this transit appears to have helped the president. The transiting South Node was in the 12^th house conjunct the progressed Sun and progressed Mercury in Taurus, and Romney was suffering from gaffes and a perception of entitlement he projected onto less fortunate others. The aspect expressed as a fall from grace and loss of personal standing (Mercury ruling the Ascendant, and the Sun ruling the self). Transiting Neptune in Pisces made a square to Romney’s natal nodal axis, such that the planet of delusion and confusion was aligned at the South Bending, and the negative traits of the planet manifest. With the South-Bending Neptune trine transiting Saturn, Romney felt he would win. It was not to be. Transiting Saturn was square progressed Saturn and the progressed Sun, and quincunx the progressed North Node and natal Ascendant, and there was bitter disappointment that made for a difficult finish at the end of a six year long campaign. 

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           What was my prediction about the election?  Writing in 2011, I concluded that: "Given these aspects, Obama looks strong, despite a jaded and disheartened public (p. 248)." In regards to Romney: "Although the current polls have Romney winning over Obama in a two-way race (statistically they are even), when considering the progressions and transits on election day, Obama appears stronger than Romney. As transpired eighteen years previously, if Romney is running in this race, he will likely lose. (p. 262)."