Obama's Difficult Month

Obama’s Difficult Month

As of July 6,

Obama has once again entered the realm of international diplomacy, beginning with his journey to Moscow and meetings with President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, followed by
a trip to Italy on July 8 and a meeting with leaders of the world’s major industrial powers. Discussion
of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, the faltering global economy, and climate change will likely top the agenda. Despite his personal charm and extraordinary popularity, Obama is likely to have a difficult trip with some mixed results.

On the one hand, Obama is hampered in his effectiveness abroad by the sputtering economy and burgeoning unemployment at home, thus far barely responsive to his multi-pronged efforts. We see
the particular difficulties the administration is facing during the first two weeks of July in the transit
of Saturn opposite Inaugural Venus (17Pisces47), an aspect which is accentuating congressional resistance and is suggestive of only modest achievements and many frustrations during the president’s journey. In addition, transiting Saturn is semisquare Obama’s Mercury (2Leo18) through July 10 and quincunx his Ascendant (18Aquarius03) from July 7 through July 19. The former aspect adds to the picture of slow, painstaking, and incremental progress in negotiations in Moscow, and the latter suggests he may get a bad cold or have some other physical irritation or difficulty during and immediately after the trip.

On the other hand, Obama’s progressed Venus conjunction to progressed Uranus (28Leo11) will be exact in mid-July and activated by a square from transiting Mars from July 7 to July 9 during his stay
in Moscow and his big meeting in Italy, suggesting that his charisma and ability to push for creative thinking will be potent despite the Saturn-related obstacles. Particularly warm feelings will surround
him on the evening of July 7 and early on July 8 while Venus is conjunct his Moon (3Gemini21).

But there are other, more subtle influences that are coloring this entire period for Obama which in the long run may prove problematic. From June 30 through early August, his progressed Moon is conjunct his progressed and natal South Node in Aquarius (26Aquarius57 and 27Aquarius18). Much of Obama’s life is about the creative tension found in the Leo/Aquarius axis. With Aquarius rising and both Jupiter and the South Node in Aquarius, his ability to penetrate to a profound and broad understanding of any situation and then articulate it is legendary. So too is his very Aquarian worldview that leads him to work tirelessly to bring all Americans and ultimately all of humanity together in common purpose, striving to transcend contentious identity issues for the greater good.

This strong Aquarius influence in his chart is balanced by an equally strong Leo presence: Mercury (2Leo20), the Sun (12Leo33), Uranus (25Leo16), and the North Node (27Leo18). Leo here brings a uniquely personal and warm quality to the normally aloof and detached Aquarius. It offers leadership, guidance, and charisma where Aquarius might prefer to focus more on the guidance of the collective mind. With Obama’s progressed Moon on his Aquarian South Node during July and early August, however, the president might inadvertently be too willing to compromise for the sake of bringing everyone to the table, be too aloof, and relinquish some of the necessary Leonine warmth and leadership role. The South Node often describes a blind spot in a person and a tendency to self-sabotage without realizing it. It can only be brought under control by the balancing energies of the North Node, in this case, the leadership and unique creativity of the passionate and involved Leo.

Also of concern during this July/early August framework is the Neptune transit opposite Obama’s Uranus (25Leo16) until August 10, and joined by Jupiter from July 7 through July 18. Uranus takes on particular importance in Obama’s chart as the ruler of the Aquarian Ascendant. Neptune here suggests vision and idealism initially but is likely to lead to disappointment, disillusionment, and confusion, especially once Jupiter begins to separate after July 18. Thus, the trip may bring careful and cautious hard work (transiting Saturn/natal Mercury), followed by seeming celebration and success (transiting Jupiter/natal Uranus and progressed Venus/progressed Uranus/transiting Mars), with the possibility of a pulled muscle or a bad cold in the aftermath. But in the weeks following the trip and into early August, there may be a letdown or disappointment (Neptune) and a wish that Obama had pushed harder or demanded more (Aquarian South Node), with less vision and more practicality. Later in August, September, and October, however, President Obama will have some significant, renewed success and popularity (Jupiter conjunct the Ascendant), until a noticeable downturn of some kind (in part economic) and a swath of troubles hit in November and December (Saturn/Pluto square aspecting his Venus, US MC, and US Venus).

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