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Democratic Aftermath: Nancy Pelosi & Dick Gephardt

November 15, 2002
Geneva Clark

Well, did Democrats screw the pooch or what? So many people have written to me asking, "what happened?" Anyone who watched the 11/6 episode of "West Wing" knows who is responsible. We all neglected to go outside, turn around three times, and spit. Pay attention to these directives in the future, people. By taking too many things for granted we thoroughly pissed off the Gods.

Of course, all seriousness aside, the Democrats need to get a formidable leader. One that belongs to a species that actually HAS a vertebrae. If some Martian were to show up at the Democratic National Committee Headquarter's and ask to be taken to our leader, who would we show the little bugger? Gore? Daschle? McAuliffe? Gephardt? Well, we could always throw Rush and Trent Lott at the spacemen and hope they'd get abducted----but the point has been driven home very effectively in the aftermath of this disheartening election.

The Democrats need to get a REAL message and an effective leader that can deliver it to the public. Then we need to hog-tie the whore media and restore objective journalism, (remember those days??) and stop giving news a pro-Right Wing spin.

We took one step closer to getting rid of the Old, and obviously ineffective, Guard, in the Democrat Party leadership, specifically in the House of Representatives, when Dick Gephardt announced last week that he has wised up and will save us the embarrassment of watching him flounder for yet another two years, when he decided not to run for another term as House Minority Leader. The FIRST decisive political action Gephardt has made in years. Wouldn't you know it---NOW he shows some stones!

For awhile it looked like there might be a substantial dog fight between Representative Martin Frost, from the 24th Congressional District in Texas, and Nancy Pelosi, Representative from the 8th District in California. Frost is more of a centrist, stating, "I think that the party, to be successful, must speak to the broad center of the country," Frost feels the Democrats need to be more moderate and appeal to a more general and wide ranging block of voters. Pelosi is more to the Left, unabashedly Liberal, and feels the Democrats need to stay true to their base and be.....well, Democrats.

Frost dropped out of the race when he took stock and realized that he didn't have enough likely votes to beat Pelosi. It now appears certain that Nancy Pelosi will succeed Dick Gephardt as House Minority Leader. Making her the first woman to lead either party in either House of Congress, in that capacity, in our nation's history. Proving, once again, that the best man for the job is usually a woman.

In announcing her intention to become the next Minority leader, Pelosi stated, in part, "We must draw clear distinctions between our vision of the future and the extreme policies put forward by the Republicans. We cannot allow Republicans to pretend they share our values and then legislate against those values without consequence. As Minority leader, I will highlight those differences and challenge Republicans to match their words against their deeds. With our Members, we will carry this new resolve to Democrats across the country for the benefit of the American people."

So just who is Nancy Pelosi, and more important, for the purposes of these pages, what can we learn of her astrologically?

Nancy Pelosi was born March 26, 1940, in Baltimore Maryland. She comes from a well known political family, with a proud tradition of public service. Her father, Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr., served as Mayor of Baltimore for 12 years, from 1947 to 1959, after representing the city for five terms in Congress, from 1939 to 1947, where he served on the Appropriations Committee; a position daughter Nancy now occupies as well. The senior D'Alesandro died in 1987. Congresswoman Pelosi's brother, Thomas D'Alesandro III, also served as Mayor of Baltimore.

Nancy's Sun, exalted in Aries, already promises that she will be a passionately avid leader and fervent battler for what she feels is right; at last we have a Bulldog to fight for Democratic causes and ideals! As an Aries, Nancy will not be easily bullied, and is willing to go toe to toe with anyone who challenges her, pulling no punches, and mincing no words defending her cause or position.

Nancy's ease and acceptance of political power comes from the blessing of the trine between her Aries Sun and Leo Pluto. She learned how to handle political clout by growing up around it. Acquiring, first hand from her powerful father, the skill of negotiation and delegation of authority, along with the benefits and consequences that come with awesome responsibility and endowment.

Lacking a correct time of birth for Representative Pelosi, we are unable to accurately interpret her Moon aspects. However, regardless of the time she was born, Nancy will have a resourceful and intense Scorpio Moon. Although the degree would put it past the problematic opposition to Saturn, which would likely have made family life among such a high achieving group of powerbrokers a living hell, if Nancy were born later in the evening, she would likely experience the input of her Scorpio Moon opposing her Venus/Uranus conjunction.

Solar Chart for Minority Leader, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi

This conjunction, occurring in Taurus, adds to Nancy's impassioned nature, making her a true scraper, willing to fight for the downtrodden (Uranus) and the underdog. There is a mistaken notion in astrology that a combination of Venus and Uranus implies that the possesser is likely to engage in wanton, unrestrained and lustful, even kinky sex. As one who also has this aspect, I can state first hand that this is simply not true, and misses the bigger picture.

What it does indicate is a strongly ardent nature willing to go to extremes, fervently defending their position and stubbornly holding their ground. Scorpio is a fixed water sign and the emotional undercurrent runs very deep. A Scorpio Moon will not be dominated and will subjugate themselves to no one.

Being that Nancy's Scorpio Moon likely opposes her Taurus Venus/Uranus combination, this can have a negative effect. It can indicate someone who is too tenacious and unrelenting and won't let go of a point once it has been driven home. In social situations this could prove to be a problem, although I suspect that Nancy has also learned how to schmooz with the best of them, observing that trait from infancy. Some of the potentially harsh nature of this aspect is mitigated by Venus gaining strength by being at home in Taurus.

This appears to be quite a contrast to previous and other Democratic leaders who have been all too willing to capitulate to Republican demands. Hopefully the energy of this aspect will serve Nancy well giving her the courage and bravery to stick to her guns. Moon, of course, tells of the early family life, and the current domestic conditions.

The opposition to Uranus, in its Fall in Taurus, indicates Nancy's background was unusual. Likely, being in politics, the family enjoyed a distinctive and unique lifestyle with many extraordinary and unusual guests visiting the home. Through that early exposure, Nancy has become comfortable with that energy, and is not afraid to dig beneath the surface to expose her opponents weaknesses.

Moving on to a likely trine between Nancy's compassionate and sensitive Pisces Mercury and her Scorpio Moon, the dymanics of this aspect are seen in her service on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, where she has focused on issues of key importance to the nation's families, such as education, minimum wage, workplace safety, and AIDS treatment and prevention. She has been a leader in doubling the NIH budget in five years; AIDS and breast cancer funding are her top priorities.

Nancy's Mercury is retrograde, and in its Fall in Pisces. This can weaken its strenth and condition. Fortunately it appears to be fortified by a sextile to Venus and Uranus, giving her the opportunity to eloquently transmit what she feels inside to an effective outlet. The sextile to Uranus is particularly spirited, blessing her with a quick and intuitive mind, able to take advantage of opportunities to promote her ingenious and progressive ideas.

Representative Pelosi's Pisces Mercury opposes her Virgo Neptune, also in its Fall. This shows someone who can be strongly idealistic and visionary. The opposition can indicate someone who gets carried away with the fervor and intensity of their mission, and one who can be easily duped and taken in. Luckily Pelosi has an abundance of solid Earth placements to counter the potentially conflicting aspects, espcially found in this opposition.

But, to her credit, this combination can also add to Nancy's intuitive nature. Taking that characteristic from the water placements of her Moon and Mecury, Nancy may feel what she believes before she will intellectually express it.

Proof that Nancy's optimistic and utopian, some would even deem it unrealistic, outlook is blessed with a firm grounding in practicality is found in the trines between Nancy's Taurus Venus and Mars to her Virgo Neptune. This gives her immense creative and imaginative capacity and the ability to work well and get along with people from diverse and varied social and ethic backgrounds.

It has enabled her to know when to successfully push her own agenda, a common Aries downfall, and when to compromise. The trine to Mars, specifically, gifts Nancy with the tireless drive and energy (Mars) to accomplish her goals the way she envisions (Neptune) they should be.

Nancy's hard driving Mars, ruling planet of her Aries Sun sign, combines well in a dynamo sextile to her regenerative Pluto. Giving Nancy the opportunity to be in the right place at the right time, emerging in a new position of power and influence. It appears that Nancy's investment in herself and her hardwork in her career has paid off handsomely for her.

Prior to her election to Congress, Representative Pelosi served as the State and Northern Chair of the California Democratic Party and Chair of the 1984 Democratic National Convention Host Committee. She served as a Democratic National Committeewoman from California for 20 years between 1976 and 1996. With all that going on Nancy still has time for an active family life. She graduated from Trinity College in Washington, D.C. in 1962. She and her husband, Paul Pelosi, a native of San Francisco, have five children: Nancy Corinne, Christine, Jacqueline, Paul and Alexandra, and five grandchildren.

When Nancy Pelosi becomes the new Minority leader, her Aries Jupiter will be in an exact trine to transiting Jupiter in Leo, bringing home to her all the honors and acclaim that are associated with the hallmark of positive Jupiterian benefits. Hopefully her stewardship as Minority leader will have expansive benefits for the Democratic Party as well.

With Dick Gephardt announcing that he will not be seeking another term as House Minority leader, and Nancy Pelosi stepping in to fill that spot, Gephardt's abdication has caused speculation that he may aspire to a higher office. In a post election news conference, Gephardt said that "it's time for me personally to take a different direction ... and take on this president and the Republican Party from a different vantage point." His remarks pointed toward a possible campaign for the White House in 2004.

Gephardt in 2004? Besides a whole spate of Running Dick jokes, that we already used to better advantage with Cheney, what would be his contribution this time around? Gephardt has already launched a previous bid for the Presidency, back in 1988; obviously he lost.

In those ensuing years Gephardt, while enjoying more media coverage by virtue of being the Minority leader in the House of Representatives, has probably managed to alienate more members of his own party by his acquiescence to Bush's demands and proposals, than he has pissed off Republican's in general. I put his success at being the next resident of the White House at somewhere between slim and none.

But what does Astrology have to say about the likelihood of a Gephardt White House? Let's see.

Richard Andrew "Dick" Gephardt was born January 31, 1941 in St. Louis, Missouri at 5 PM. This makes him an Aquarius Sun with an Aries Moon and Leo rising. With that combination, Dick was destined for a leadership role of some kind. The house placements of his key plantary positions paint a more effective picture. Gephardt started out his professional life as an attorney, an appropriate career choice with his Aquarius Sun in the Seventh House, the area of law and justice. A political career is also a strong outcome with his Aries Moon falling in his natal Ninth of politics and philosophy.

Gephardt received his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1965. After graduation Gephardt served in the Air National Guard from 1965 to 1971. Following his military service, Gephardt practiced law at the Thompson & Mitchell Law Firm, where he was a partner. The seeds of Gephardt's political career got its roots when he became a city councilmember on the Saint Louis Board of Alderman, serving in that capacity from 1971-1976.

Gephardt used that office as a springboard to become the 3rd District Representative from Missouri to the US House in 1976, serving without interruption since then. In the 1989 shake-up Gephardt emerged as the House Majority leader when then House speaker Jim Wright resigned the speakership. After Speaker Tom Foley lost his seat in the 1994 Republican election sweep, Gephardt became the top House Democrat.

When Wright's resignation catapulted Gephardt into a position of power and authority, transiting Jupiter was going over his progressed Mid-heaven, bringing him professional success and honors; galvanizing Gephardt's career direction and purpose. By January 1990, when the 102nd Congress assembled, with Gephard as Majority leader in the House, transiting Jupiter and Uranus formed a close T-Square to his natal Aries Moon, showing Gephardt's quick and unexpected (Uranus) rise to public (Moon) prominence (Jupiter).

Natal Chart For Representative Dick Gephardt

By 1994, when Tom Foley lost his seat in Congress, moving Gephardt up in rank in the Democratic Party in the House, his progressed Mid-heaven had moved to a close opposition with his natal Mars, the planet that rules his natal Aries Mid-heaven. Additionally, his progressed Moon was at the exact midpoint of his Venus/Uranus trine.

Mars, in addition to ruling Aries, the sign governing Gephardt's Mid-heaven, does double duty by also ruling his political Ninth House with Aries on that sector as well. Venus co-rules his professional Tenth House, with Taurus intercepted. Clearly the indications were strong that during that time Gephardt would be the object of a fast (Mars) career (Mid-heaven) advance.

However, it may appear that Gephardt's political rising star has peaked and he is soon to be experiencing a downturn careerwise. Mars, the planet ruling his Mid-heaven, has moved into Aquarius, by progression, but the only significant angular aspect it would make would be a sextile to his Aries Mid-heaven. But we can rule out this possibility since Mars would not move to that degree in Gephardt's lifetime.

Progressed Mars will move to opposed Gephardt's natal Leo Ascendant, but he'll be 72 years old by then. Considering the ages of such venerable statesman as Robert Byrd of Virginia, who will be 85 in November; Strom Thurmond and Jesse Helms, due to retire in January 2003, are 99 and 81 respectively, it's highly conceivable that Gephardt could still be serving into his senior years. If Gephardt is still making a run for the presidency, all other factors being equal, when he's 72, he'd probably have a longer track record for repeated attempts than Harold Stassen.

Stassen, for those who are having their own "senior moment" and don't follow my very obscure reference, sought out his party's nomination for President in 1948, 1952, 1964, 1968, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988 and 1992. A political run just wasn't complete without ole Harold announcing his intention to secure the nomination. He never was successful, but you have to admire his tenacity.

Considering that Stassen was a Republican, it's probably a blessing that he failed. Like my Daddy used to say, "The only good one's a dead one". Hopefully, Gephardt lacks that kind of persistance and gives up on his presidential aspirations long before it becomes the running joke that Stassen became.

If Mars, by virture of ruling Gephardt's natal Mid-heaven, holds little promise, what about the heavyweights like transiting Saturn? Saturn, by transit, follows a generally recognized pattern of ushering in a rise in public acclaim, or career advancement, with a corresponding rise in the horoscope. As Saturn reaches a peak at the zenith of the chart; the Mid-Heaven, that usually culminates with the highest accomplishments in the life, bringing in honors, recognition and ambition that brings in the coveted pay-off.

In Gephardt's chart, Saturn is now winding its way through his natal Eleventh, the house of goals and achievements. In other words, it has peaked and is starting to descend in his chart. This will put him into a period of obscurity and bring him less recogniton and exposure before the public. By mid year of 2005, Saturn will cross Gephardt's Ascendant, bringing in a period of depressing frustration and missed opportunities.

The descent continues until reaching the opposition to his Mid-heaven in late 2011, when Gephardt is nearly 71 years old. Not too many politicians decide to make a run for the White House at that age. And considering the doddering old farts that have tried to govern at near that age, maybe they shouldn't.

For the more immediate future, relatively speaking, Saturn will be in Gephardt's natal Twelfth of loss and sorrow starting in May 2004, and continuing during the time of the Democratic National Convention in July 2004. During the week when the Democrats will be nominating their presidential candidate, transiting Saturn will be opposing Gephardt's Capricorn Venus, the co-ruler of his intercepted Mid-heaven. Chances are more than good that the nomination will, once again, elude his eager grasp.

With transiting Neptune in a conjunction with his natal Aquarius Sun, providing him with a rosy scenario, probably leading to self-deception, setting him up for a shocking fall to earth, Gephardt may decide to make his intentions public in January 2003. At the same time, trans Uranus will be sextile his Mid-heaven, and conjunct his natal Aquarius Mercury, bringing exciting news and inspiring ideas. He may receive support from an unexpected source.

Probably the most provocative aspect at this time would be trans Pluto conjunct Gephardt's natal Mars, bringing to light a distressing crisis that may require some deft coercion or persuasion to eradicate the problem. Gephardt may find himself bullied into a type of political "plea bargain" in order to further his ambitions. This combination usually marks the irrevocable end of one phase of life, and the sudden onset of another, with little warning or choice in the matter.

Coming up in March 2003, Gephardt will experience the peak of his progressed Ascendant in an exact conjunction to his natal Neptune. This contributes to a confusing and bewildering atmosphere, bringing in chaotic and upsetting conditions. One manifestation of this aspect is that it usually brings us face to face with our own self delusions. This can be the "own worse enemy" aspect seeming to work at cross purposes to what the native really wants to achieve, and the image (Ascendant) they really want to project.

Progressed Chart for Dick Gephardt for July 2004

This aspect, since it is in effect now, will be moving away after next year, giving Gephardt some much needed clarity. The nature of Neptune on his Ascendant is, in part, responsible for some of Gephardt's more befuddling behavior over the past two years. Unfortunately that image is likely to stick, with little being done to successfully remove it from voter's minds. This can be a disappointing time when personal expectations fall short of reality.

Additionally Gephardt continues to experience an interesting phenomenon that occurs when transiting Saturn follows closely aligning itself with his progressed Moon. Right now they are neck and neck in Gemini, right over his progressed Mid-heaven, bringing to the fore Gephardt's emotional needs to challenge his professional security.

He has responded to this inner turmoil by voluntarily relinquishing his highly regarded seat as Minority leader and treading into unfamilar territory; effectively shaking up his comfort zone. When his progressed Moon enters Cancer and experiences some challenging aspects, Gephardt may find himself at odds with voters in his home (Cancer) state. This could bring about a time when Dick Gephardt experiences the Al Gore syndrome. That of being rudderless without a political harbor.

By July 2004 and the opening of the Democratic National Convention, Gephardt's progressed Cancer Moon will continue to be in close conjunction with transiting Saturn. At that time both will oppose his natal Venus bringing a depressing circumstance that can repress future plans and stifle personal goals. He can experience unfortunate unpopularity and feel that he is having to compromise with little advancement in return. This can indicate a time when he fails to connect with public trends or sentiments, and may end up saying the wrong thing and provoking public distrust.

All is not entirely bleak for Gephardt. He will experience transiting Jupiter activating a trine to his fiery and confident Sagittarius Mars through the end of 2002 and then again in July 2003. A perfect time to launch a new cycle or phase in his career. Especially since his energetic output will be heightened.

And Jupiter will be in trine to its natal position in mid 2004, but past the culmination by the time of the July 2004 Democratic Convention. This can be a time of honors and rewards, when life is to be enjoyed and the atmosphere feels more friendly and easy going. But it can also indicate a time of too much complacency and an unfortunate tendency to ignore or gaff off viable alternatives and solutions to vexing problems.

In all fairness Gephardt has a lot to contribute and his continued service to his country is to be encouraged and applauded. But, realistically, the likelihood that he will ever be President just isn't in the Stars.