Like meat thrown to starving dogs, the newly-declared candidacy of Wesley Clark has aroused and greatly energized the Democratic faithful. For those not already smitten with Howard Dean, Clark’s candidacy offers hope of a new and potent weapon that can be deployed to crush the Incompetent Emperor. Already, only a week after his announcement, there are polls that show a Clark candidacy rushing to the top of the Democratic ladder and smiting the increasingly vulnerable Bush.
Struggling to find his footing in the treacherous terrain of the political landscape, Clark has already stumbled over a key issue: how he would have dealt with the war resolution passed by Congress last fall. The tentative and recalibrated positions he has espoused have called into question whether or not he is ready to plunge into the deep end of the political pool. His domestic policy positions are somewhat murky as well. It seems Clark will need a Rhodes Scholar-level crash course over the next few weeks just to catch up. But for the moment, his star is rising despite recent mishaps, and the people hunger to hear more from this new beacon of light in a dark world.
Unfortunately, we have no birth time for General Clark (d.o.b.12/23/44), which is always a huge handicap in attempting predictions. Nonetheless, there are several planetary indications that are worthy of discussion. It is generally some form of very strong Venus energy that renders the candidate appealing and attractive to the popular imagination. Currently, Clark’s progressed Venus is square to his progressed Node from May 2003 through June 2004. This, in turn, will meld into the progression of Venus to his natal Node from May 2004 through July 2005. This aspect is currently triggered by the transit of Pluto (quincunx), from June 8 through October 7, 2003. The highly charged Venusian nature of this period has brought with it a burgeoning support for a Clark candidacy which has grown to such an extent that he has now declared himself in the race. We can expect his popularity to be quite strong during these early weeks through October 7. Other pockets of intensified popularity will come when Jupiter triggers this aspect by sextile from 11/27 through 12/6/03 and 1/17 through 2/2/04 and when Uranus triggers it by a semisquare from 2/1 through 2/18/04. The latter times are during the Democratic primaries, which suggest that Clark will make a reasonably good showing during this early primary period.
Continuing with the Venus theme, we find this progressed Venus/Node aspect is again activated at the end of the Democratic Convention for a few days by Jupiter sextile to natal Node (7/28 through 8/1/04), and by a Uranus semisquare for an extended period from September through December 2004, the height of the campaign season. Finally, Jupiter will square this progression from early January through mid February 2005. Thus, we see a pattern emerging of an especially strong appeal and popularity for Clark during the most critical times: currently through October 7, 2003; the early primaries through mid-February; the Democratic convention; the height of the campaign, September through December 2004; and the month of the Inauguration and shortly thereafter.
There are three other astrological configurations coming in General Clark’s chart that further help to understand the coming 18 months. As of December, transiting Pluto will move to conjunct Clark’s Mars. This will bring him into a yearlong period of very focused, powerful energy that will surely be used to hone his campaign and make bold attacks against Bush. This transit is especially strong during all of December 2003 and from late May through October 2004, during which time we will see a far more aggressive and strong side of Clark than we are witnessing now under an intensified Venus.
The one aspect that suggests some difficulties for Clark comes from the station of Saturn in early 2004 that will sit on Clark’s Saturn and square his Neptune. We can expect this Saturn influence to impact Clark from mid-January through mid-April 2004. I think it will force the General to stay very grounded in his statements. He will be challenged on anything that is the least bit unrealistic and in any area where he doesn’t have any real expertise. It is also possible that Clark will be forced to reevaluate some of his ambitions and goals and put them in a more realistic and modest perspective. Perhaps he will shift toward becoming the Vice Presidential candidate at this point. Because this period is also a time when I expect the US to be militarily very active (transiting Pluto station opposite US Mars), it may also take a great deal of finesse to oppose Bush and at the same time support America in its endeavors. Clark may be walking a very fine line around then.
The final aspect of significance in Clark’s chart worth discussing is the transit of Neptune across his Venus from March through June 2004 and again during all of January 2005. This is an aspect that suggests an almost transcendent feeling of love for all humanity. It elevates the feeling life to great heights. This could suggest that Clark will be enjoying great popularity at that time and his first real experience of swarming and adoring political crowds that he truly wants to serve. It is significant that it is felt all during January 2005 at the time of the Inauguration.
Without a birth time, there is still a great deal of important information missing from this picture. I have found very little to suggest that Clark will be engaged in the Herculean task of the presidency come 2005. But this could easily change with the relevant birth data. I also am continuing to keep my eye on John Kerry, whose astrological picture shows great promise, despite his current lagging in the polls. It may be that these two will join forces on the 2004 ticket: either Clark/Kerry or Kerry/Clark. I would anticipate great success either way.