--John Wilkes Booth in his pocket diary in the days after his assassination of President Lincoln

Dateline: Begun Friday July 25, 2003 5:11AM PDT, Eugene, OR and completed Tuesday morning August 12, 2003 7:00AM PDT -- As before in this series of articles, I have dated and timed the start of this feature. The main subjects to be discussed in this article concern the assassinations of President Garfield and McKinley, and how they relate to what has been presented so far. However, as with past features, I have some unusual ideas to share at the start.

President Lincoln's oldest son Robert was born on August 1, 1843 in Springfield, Illinois. He wound up having quite a governmental career of his own and lived nearly a complete Uranian cycle around the zodiac. He died just 7 days before his 83^rd birthday in 1926. What's unusual is how he connects to three presidential assassinations. He was 21 years old when his father was murdered and was summoned across the street to the apartment building across from Ford's Theatre when his father died at 7:22AM on April 15, 1865. Sixteen years later, he was the Secretary of War in President Garfield's cabinet. On the morning of July 2, 1881, he went to the railroad station in the nation's capital to tell President Garfield that he would not be able to accompany him on a train to New Jersey. When he arrived at the railroad station, the president had just been shot by Charles Guiteau. Twenty years later, Robert Todd Lincoln received an invitation to meet with President William McKinley on September 6, 1901 at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo. When Robert arrived, a group had gathered around the president who had just been shot by Leon Czolgosz.

This does not seem to be coincidence at all, but some kind of astrological synchronicity. Note some of the astro-facts which I have dug up in an attempt to understand Robert Todd Lincoln's connections to these presidential assassinations. You will remember that I have explained that the planet Uranus is a big factor in assassinations. Robert Todd Lincoln was born with Uranus at 2 Aries in a very close square to his lunar nodal axis (fate/destiny) at 1+ Capricorn-Cancer. In addition, he was born with an approaching and nearly precise Mercury-Uranus trine (from Leo to Aries). It was an indication of his mental brilliance and genius. The fact that he became Secretary of War for President Garfield can be seen in another potent and nearly exact trine in his horoscope -- from the Sun at 8+ Leo to Mars (planet of war) at 9+ Sagittarius. Now does 9+ Sagittarius ring a bell? Of course! It was the transiting and rising Moon (9+ Sagittarius) when his own father was shot and murdered by John Wilkes Booth! Thus, the transiting Moon at the first presidential assassination was sitting exactly on Mars in his eldest son's birthchart.

You will recall that I have also discussed the importance of the chart for the ELDEST child in a family. When the first son or daughter is born within a family, that chart doubles as the map for the husband becoming a father and the wife becoming a mother. Therefore, transits to the eldest's chart can be extra meaningful in understanding impacts on the father and mother. Very clearly in this regard we see something rather profound. John Wilkes Booth kills President Lincoln when the Moon (ruling family life and mass, national emotions) is almost exactly rising and it is a Moon that is also simultaneously on America's Ascendant and it is crossing Mars in President Lincoln's eldest son's birthmap. Could it be that this particular astrological link sunk into Robert Todd Lincoln's emotional depths and that he then became a kind of lightning-rod years later when both President Garfield and McKinley were assassinated?

Robert Todd Lincoln was also born with the largest asteroid Ceres at 9 Virgo. Thus, his Ceres (9 Virgo) and Mars (9+ Sagittarius) were both connected to JFK's assassination 98+ years after his own father died. Remember that at the JFK murder, Uranus was transiting 9 Virgo while Mercury was at 9+ Sagittarius. [Note: And let us not forget that President George W. Bush has his natal Mars at 9+ Virgo -- a Mars being opposed this summer and fall three times by transiting Mars in Pisces.] You will also recall the potent Pythagoran Triangles at both the Lincoln and JFK assassinations. Well, it turns out that Robert Todd Lincoln is born with a major Pythagorean Triangle. Pluto in Aries is 120 degrees to Chiron in Leo, Chiron is then 150 degrees to Saturn in Capricorn while Saturn in turn is 90 degrees back to Pluto. The orbs are close and we note the involvement of Chiron and Saturn -- celestial bodies associated with strange timing and déjà vu experiences. Robert Todd Lincoln was also born with a close T-Square triangle and Finger of God triangle or Yod. In both of these, Pluto (death-rebirth; transformation; extremes; metamorphosis; the underworld) plays a pivotal role and Pluto is involved with all three unusual triangles in his horoscope. This mini-study of President Lincoln's eldest son helps us understand the power of astrological destiny as it ripples through every family.

I have a lot of history books and many on the presidents. One is a paperback entitled Facts About The Presidents by Joseph Nathan Kane. It has been a gold mine of information for me during the past quarter century and often contains obscure tidbits of American history. Try the following on for size.

Some astrologers may miss a fascinating way to time significant life events. It's a system that is simpler than transits or progressions, but it means looking at an ephemeris to gain knowledge of the speed (or lack of it) of a celestial body. I have already reported in this series that Abraham Lincoln was born within 24 hours of a Uranus station. He was born with the planet slowing down and virtually motionless (thus magnified in power); it stopped and turned retrograde the day after he was born. [Note: JFK was born with Uranus also motionless; it stopped and went retrograde the night before he was born. And his Uranus at 23+ Aquarius is exactly conjunct President Lincoln's natal Sun! Talk about fateful Uranian links through history and via the presidency.] Now the amazing fact is that Abraham Lincoln's natal Uranus was located at 9 degrees and 40 minutes of Scorpio. Scorpio is the traditional sign of death and rebirth. Uranus motionless and at 9+ Scorpio symbolized the reality that at age 9 and 2/3, something shocking and surprising -- an upheaval of immense proportions -- would strike young Abe. What happened?

His mother Nancy Hanks Lincoln died suddenly at age 34 1/2 on October 5, 1818. This must have been a horrible blow to Abe Lincoln age 9 and 2/3. From the above, we realize that in a precise manner as shown in his natal chart, his beloved mother passes away in accordance with a Uranian lightning bolt out of the blue. But the following may be even more bizarre. A little over a year after his mother's death, Abe's father Thomas married Sarah BUSH Johnston. [I have highlighted her maiden name for obvious reasons!] Now keep following this because it becomes rather weird to say the least.

Sarah Bush Johnston had been married to her husband Daniel in 1806 and he died in October 1818 -- the same month that Abe's mother died. All told, Sarah Bush Johnston had been married the first time around 12 and 1/2 years. Abe's father and mother had also married in 1806 and their marriage last 12+ years. Thus, in both families, the marriage took place in 1806 and then 12 years later (one complete Jupiter cycle) one of the spouses died -- during the same month, October 1818. Sarah Bush Johnston had already brought four children into the world when she married Abe's father. Thus, the new Lincoln household was now brimming over with children. Apparently, it was Sarah Bush Johnston who became a big catalyst in Abe Lincoln's increase in learning and gaining knowledge during his teen years. She wanted him to become a great success in life. Sarah Bush Johnston was born on December 12, 1788. Notice that Abe's first mother died in October 1818. Well, Mary Todd Lincoln -- the woman who would become Abraham Lincoln's wife -- was born on December 13, 1818. She was born within 1 day of Abe's stepmother's birthday and only two months after his own mother died. Abrahram Lincoln would refer to his wife Mary as "Mother" throughout their marriage! While I am sure he was not the only person to do that what if Mary Todd Lincoln was actually the reincarnation of his own mother who had died just two months before his wife was born? The fascinating connections between his mother, stepmother and wife are awesome to contemplate.

One final thought relating to all this. Abraham Lincoln developed an extreme dislike for his father. When his father died in January 1851, Abe refused to attend the funeral. Over the decades, some kind of animosity unfolded between son and father. If it is true that Mary Todd Lincoln was Abraham Lincoln's reincarnated mother, then that would help to explain the falling out he had with his own father. It would also help to explain the rather difficult relationship that existed between Abraham and Mary Todd.

There is no doubt that Uranus plays a major role in assassinations. Recall what the great astrologer Barbara Watters said about Uranus. That it rules the gun/rifle and can represent a lone marksman. In all four presidential assassinations, one person has been isolated as the "trigger man," although we know for sure that John Wilkes Booth was also orchestrating a larger conspiracy to kill other members of the government. The assassins who murdered President Garfield and McKinley clearly acted alone as I will explain shortly. We don't know and may never know if Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone assassin who killed JFK. There are some peculiarities regarding Uranus. [Note: There has just been a violent lightning and thunderstorm here as I have started writing about Uranus!]

Of course, all astrologers know that Uranus links with revolution, rebellion, shocks, surprise, expecting the unexpected. Even in astronomical terms we find something very unusual in the physical presence of Uranus. Its polar axis is tilted 98 degrees to the vertical -- relative to its orbit around the Sun. Thus, Uranus seems to orbit on its "belly," so to speak, with its poles almost pointed toward and away from the Sun. This may have something to do with its meaning and themes in our lives and within humanity. Just look at the events of 1781, 1881 and 1981 for a moment.

On March 13, 1781 around 10:20PM, Uranus is discovered by Sir William Herschel in Bath, England. In October 1781, the British General Cornwallis surrenders his army to George Washington -- in effect ending the American Revolution in a stunning surprise victory for our nation. In March 1881, Czar Alexander II of Russia is killed in an assassination. In July 1881, President Garfield is shot by an assassin and dies in September 1881. Both of these assassinations happen exactly 100 years from the discovery of Uranus. Then go forward 100 years later. In March 1981, John Hinckley, Jr. attempts to assassinate President Reagan and nearly succeeds. In October 1981, Anwar Sadat is gunned down in an assassination in Egypt. This sequence of Uranian assassinations every 100 years after the discovery of Uranus may point to more bloodshed in 2081. Right now, that is a long way off, but it's something the people at that future time will need to consider.

We have seen Uranus as extremely potent for both President Lincoln and President Kennedy. Uranus motionless at both births within 24 hours of when they were born. Uranus was also very potent at their deaths. Uranus had just returned to its discovery placement (25 Gemini) when President Lincoln was inaugurated for the second time and then murdered. Uranus was part of the exact Pythagorean Triangle that existed when JFK was shot and killed in Dallas on November 22, 1963. Uranus is certainly a power broker at President George W. Bush's birth because it is exactly conjunct the fateful North Node of the Moon at 19+ Gemini. We have learned in this series that our current president is receiving a lengthy opposition from transiting Pluto in Sagittarius to his natal Uranus (extending into the summer of 2004) and that his natal Mars at 9+ Virgo almost exactly squares the USA natal Uranus (8+ Gemini) from July 4, 1776. We have also just experienced an Annular Solar Eclipse on May 30, 2003 at 9+ Gemini -- igniting America's Uranus by conjunction and our president's Mars by square.

We also find the sign Aquarius (the zodiacal sign ruled by Uranus) very active in our study. This was President Lincoln's Sun-sign and the location for Uranus when President James Garfield was born on November 19, 1831. President McKinley was born on January 29, 1843 with the Sun in Aquarius and we know that our current Vice President Richard Cheney is born on January 30, 1941. Recall that the first assassination attempt on a U.S. president occurred on January 30, 1835 (Sun in Aquarius) when Richard Lawrence tried to shoot President Andrew Jackson. JFK was born with Uranus motionless at 23+ Aquarius on President Lincoln's natal Sun degree. President Reagan -- also the victim of an assassination attempt -- was born on February 6, 1911 with the Sun in Aquarius. And now let's add Franklin Roosevelt to the mix. He was born on January 30, 1882 -- again with the Sun in Aquarius and that unusual birthdate in late January that keeps appearing in our study.

FDR is notable among all presidents for being elected four times. He is also part of the every-20-years-curse affecting USA presidents in that he didn't survive his last term in office -- dying on April 12, 1945 of a cerebral hemorrhage. However, on February 15, 1933 -- just 17 days before he would be inaugurated in Washington, D.C. for the first time as president -- he was also the focus of an assassination attempt -- this time in Miami, Florida. He had been on a 12-day fishing trip with Vincent Astor and appeared at a rally to give a speech. At that gathering, a man named Guiseppe Zangara (apparently born on September 7, 1900 in Southern Italy) tried to kill the president-elect. He got off several shots and one of those killed the mayor of Chicago, Anton Cermak. Cermak was also vacationing in Florida and FDR held the dying man in his arms all the way to the hospital. On February 15, 1933, Venus and Saturn were united at 10 Aquarius -- where Neptune was when John Wilkes Booth was born. This was also near FDR's natal Sun at 11+ Aquarius and, ironically, he was born with an exact Venus-Saturn square in fixed, power signs. Perhaps the 2-degree orb of the transiting Venus-Saturn union on February 15, 1933 to his natal Sun saved his life that day. In addition, transiting Neptune on February 15, 1933 was located at 8+ Virgo. Once again, there are links to past and future assassination events. John Wilkes Booth was born with the largest planet Jupiter very close to this placement in early Virgo while JFK was killed with Uranus at 9+ Virgo. President George W. Bush is born with Mars at 9+ Virgo. [Note: FDR was not only a Sun-sign Aquarius, but was born with Uranus near the Ascendant in Virgo. Thus, he represents a double-dose of Uranian power. His Moon at 6 Cancer was exactly on the USA Jupiter and his Mercury at 27 Aquarius was precisely conjunct America's natal Moon-Pallas conjunction in late Aquarius. His birthchart was filled with very tough, tense and exact squares. Recall that he was paralyzed from polio and confined to a wheelchair as our president -- the only incapacitated leader in our history. His famous speech to the nation -- "the only thing we have to fear is Fear itself!" -- is revelatory when we realize the following. He was born with an exact Venus (social ties) square to Saturn (fear in its negative expression) and transiting Saturn at 11+ Aquarius was exactly crossing his natal Sun when he was inaugurated as president for the first time.]

FDR is also important because the Twentieth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution -- which had been proposed by Congress in March 1932 -- was ratified in late January 1933, just a few weeks before the assassination attempt on FDR and shortly before he took the Oath of Office. This amendment changed the date for the presidential inauguration from March 4 to January 20 -- starting in 1937. It also had other provisions for the executive and legislative branches of government. Part of the purpose behind it was to help eliminate the so-called "lame duck" periods of Congress which, in presidential election years, would extend for many months from November to the succeeding March. However, this shift in the inauguration date from March 4 to January 20 was actually a revolutionary (Uranian) event in the astrological history of the nation.

Many of our founding fathers were freemasons and also familiar with astrological symbolism, the zodiac and all kinds of esoteric secrets. After all, they incorporated The Great Pyramid and the All-Seeing Eye to be part of our American Great Seal that eventually became part of the design for the back of the one dollar bill -- the foundation denomination of U.S. currency. They created an important triangular pattern of key dates within our unique political calendar. The triangle is an expression of the trinity and one of the magical geometric images of the ancient wisdom teachings. However, what was created within the American political calendar was probably never done before in human history and has not been duplicated elsewhere.

Once America had been born on July 4, 1776 and the American Revolution became a success, the founders of the nation set about to creating our Constitution and three-part government (executive; legislative; judicial -- another trinity!) in the second half of the 1780s. The U.S. Constitution was accepted by delegates at a special convention in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787. It was then ratified and adopted by the ninth state of New Hampshire on June 21, 1788 and declared in effect on March 4, 1789 -- when the first Congress began. [Note: The key birthmap for Sept. 17, 1787 in itself is powerful regarding events in American history. For instance, early Sagittarius is rising with the Moon conjunct the Ascendant. This is the same pattern that occurred when John Wilkes Booth murdered President Lincoln. Saturn (karma; fate; authority figures) sits at 23+ Aquarius in the Constitution map. This is President Lincoln's Sun degree and Uranus stationary retrograde at the birth of President Kennedy. Vesta (national security and safety themes) at 20+ Gemini is conjunct the U.S. natal Mars (21+ Gemini) from July 4, 1776. This may connect to the vulnerability of certain presidents to the nefarious actions of assassins who are able to find weak spots in the systems developed to protect our chief executives from bodily harm.]

We know that the Sun was at 13+ Cancer when America came into existence at the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Why was March 4 selected to be the date for the beginning of each new Congress and the time for the inauguration of presidents? [Note: George Washington was actually inaugurated on April 30, 1789 -- as the new system of dates and times was just being set up. When he was inaugurated for his second term, he took the Oath of Office on March 4, 1793.] Well, this was not done by accident. Someone -- or a group of significant figures within our government -- decided that the astrological link between July 4 and March 4 would be highly favorable for the positive flow of government in our youthful nation. On March 4 of every year, the Sun would be located at approximately 13+ Pisces and exactly trine (120 degrees) the U.S. natal Sun at 13+ Cancer! How perfect. And that's just what happened. The last piece of the puzzle referred to the time each year that elections would be held. While in the first three presidential elections (Washington's two terms and John Adams' only term), we see references to the presidential electors voting for the nominees for high office in early December of the year, by the national elections of 1800 and 1804, actual dates are listed -- Nov. 4, 1800 and Nov. 6, 1804. By 1845, Congress had changed the election date to be what we now understand it to be -- the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. What this accomplished was to energize approximately November 4 every 4 years as the time for national elections and 13+ Scorpio in the zodiac.

So … here we see a cosmic, sacred triangle of significant dates in our country's political life -- July 4 (Independence), March 4 (Inauguration) and November 4 (Free Election). The triangle energized the three water signs of the zodiac -- Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. America was founded by people crossing the great oceans to find religious freedom and political liberty. Of the four elemental signs in the zodiac, water is the greater unifier, the merging force, the origin of life itself. And America is the giant melting pot of races, religions, ethnic groups and political ideologies. Nevertheless, as explained above, partly because of the extensive lame-duck situation in Congress every four years, Congress decided to shift the presidential inauguration time from March 4 to an earlier date -- January 20. In addition, the Congress itself would start meeting on January 3. All this came about due to the Twentieth Amendment to the Constitution.

Now some of us might comment that this is a good change because the president would now be inaugurated on the first day of Aquarius (approximately January 20 of every year) instead of in the middle of the sign of Pisces (March 4). And most astrologers realize that we are moving into the Aquarian Age and out of the Piscean Age. However, notice that a real problem becomes established via this amendment because Congress now starts with the Sun in Capricorn (January 3)* -- a different sign than when the president is inaugurated (January 20 with the Sun in Aquarius). In the old and original (and sacred, I might add!) system, Congress -- our legislative branch of government -- and each new presidential administration -- our executive branch of government -- would begin at the same time (March 4 and in Pisces). Remember that Pisces is a double-bodied, spiritualizing sign -- represented by the two entwined fish. Our founding fathers recognized all of this. But by the 1930s, much of the spiritual founding of our nation was lost. Hence, we get this important change in when presidents begin their hold on power and when Congress convenes to enact the laws of the land. [*Note: Realize as well that Congress now begins with the Sun close to 13+ Capricorn -- exactly opposing our national Sun degree at 13+ Cancer! Clearly, this is unfavorable and reveals why Congress has become increasingly distant to the feelings and emotions of the American people over the past 66 years since 1937. Even though the people elect their own senators and representatives, Congress as an entity itself takes on a Capricornian tone because of its January 3 starting date.]

I have shared the above in depth because it reveals that we are losing our understanding of the divine underpinnings of American political life. In addition, the birthmap for every presidential inauguration has different angles since FDR took his second Oath of Office on January 20, 1937. That became the first time that Capricorn appeared on the Midheaven and Taurus rose for an American president entering the highest office in the land. Formerly, when presidents began their term of office on March 4, the Midheaven would be Pisces and the rising sign early Cancer. Thus, we are replacing water with earth as the key inaugural angles! Is that what we really want as a people born on July 4, 1776 with the Sun in Cancer? I don't think so.

Before proceeding to the Garfield and McKinley assassinations, it feels important to share a collage of attempts on the lives of our national leaders that didn't result in death. At some future time, I may want to elaborate on these events and the astrological charts that are relevant. Right now I just want to bring these to your attention.

Vice President Theodore Roosevelt (born October 27, 1858 in New York, NY) became president following the death of William McKinley on September 14, 1901. The next day a man named John Schrank had a dream that the ghost of McKinley visited him and asked him to enact revenge on the man who supposedly wanted him out of the way -- Teddy Roosevelt, in the mind of Mr. Schrank. Nevertheless, John Schrank put the spiritual vision on the back burner while T.R. was president for the next 7+ years. William Howard Taft became president after Teddy Roosevelt and although Taft was Roosevelt's choice, he became disillusioned with Taft's presidency. Roosevelt decided to run again for president in 1912, but this time as a progressive, under the Bull Moose Party. Woodrow Wilson was running as the Democrat and Taft as the Republican. John Schrank was furious that Teddy Roosevelt wanted to be president again. Once again, John Schrank had a dream of McKinley's ghost visiting him -- seemingly asking him to eliminate Roosevelt by whatever means necessary. On October 14, 1912 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, John Schrank shot former president and now presidential candidate Theodore Roosevelt from only a few feet away. But a remarkable thing happened to save Roosevelt's life.

He had a 50-page folded speech in his breast pocket -- along with his metal spectacle case. The bullet was slowed down by these two items, but still went into his body, lodging in his ribs. He was pretty much drenched with blood below his shirt and yet -- being the extremely determined individual he was -- he proceeded to go to a hall where he was to give his speech. He gave his speech and declared to the audience that he had been shot earlier. Several people believed he was fibbing. He proceeded to undo his shirt to show all the blood and the audience gasped in horror. It was another shocking event in American political history. Oddly enough, the transiting Moon in Sagittarius had just returned to its Lincoln assassination placement that day -- along with Jupiter, ruler of Sagittarius, America's ruling planet, and a symbol of the King of the Gods. Transiting Mars at 27+ Libra was exactly squaring America's natal Pluto at 27+ Capricorn and there was a Mars-Uranus square in the sky within 2 degrees of exactitude as Schrank tried to bring down one of America's greatest presidents.

President Harry Truman was residing at the Blair House on November 1, 1950 because the White House was being renovated. Two assassins obsessed by their desire for independence for Puerto Rico -- Griselio Torresola (age 24) and Oscar Collazo (age 37) -- tried to shoot their way into the president's house. Luckily, the president had plenty of security guards surrounding the house that day. Nevertheless, there was a bloody shootout. One guard was killed; others were injured. Torresola was killed and Collazo was injured. Eventually, Collazo was sentenced to death, but President Truman changed the sentence to life in prison. On September 10, 1979, he was freed by President Carter and returned to Puerto Rico. It is noteworthy that President Truman was born on May 8, 1884 with the Sun at 18+ Taurus conjunct Neptune at 20+ Taurus. This powerful conjunction surrounds the USA natal Vesta (national security and safety themes). You may remember that America's Vesta is located at exactly 19 degrees and 45 minutes of Taurus. As the assassins tried to kill President Truman, transiting Pluto (death-rebirth; extremes; the underworld) reached 19 degrees and 45 minutes of Leo -- precisely squaring (no orb!) the USA Vesta! As I have shown over and over again in this series, the small but extremely bright asteroid Vesta is a potent celestial body when it comes to the safety and security of American presidents. What saved President Truman that day? Good security around Blair House combined with poor planning on the part of the assassins? Or the fact that the president was born with Libra rising and ruled by Venus -- a beneficial planet strongly linked to the power of magnetic fields. Venus at his birth was at 3+ Cancer -- exactly conjunct America's Venus. Perhaps it was the placement of transiting Pallas at 8 Sagittarius -- sitting right on the USA rising degree and making the security guards extra alert, awake and focused. After all, Pallas rules over mental brilliance, genius, wisdom and "the shield" of immunity against attacks by enemies.

President Gerald Ford has the distinction of surviving two assassination attempts in a period of just over two weeks. Both were by women and both occurred in California. The first one happened on September 5, 1975 in Sacramento in the morning when Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme (a Charles Manson follower) -- age 26 -- tried to shoot the president from only a few feet away. The gun didn't go off. Just over two weeks later on September 22, 1975 in San Francisco, Sara Jane Moore -- age 45 -- shot at the president around 3:30PM. However, a bystander saw her and grabbed her arm -- deflecting the bullet. Here's a snapshot of some of the key astrology factors that month. At the first assassination attempt on September 5, it was the day of the New Moon at 12+ Virgo -- exactly squaring Mars (12+ Gemini). Mars has always been considered the key planet of acute, inflammatory actions, violent behavior in a personal manner, bloodshed and rash decisions. President Ford was born on July 14, 1913 close to 12:43AM CST in Omaha, Nebraska. His natal Saturn was located at 13+ Gemini -- thus being struck almost exactly in a conflicting way by the New Moon and Mars. Keep in mind that this New Moon energized the rest of September. At the second assassination attempt on September 22, Mars at 21 Gemini was returning in the USA chart and transiting Saturn and transiting Uranus were almost precisely square from 0+ Leo to 0+ Scorpio. These two planets had just entered new signs that month!

However, there are two extraordinary astrology cycles at work when President Ford almost became another presidential assassination victim. Transiting Neptune during that strange month of September 1975 was moving through 9+ Sagittarius. Ring a bell? The Lincoln assassination rising Moon again! And get this. President Ford's natal Moon was placed at 9+ Sagittarius! Now that's truly astounding. He was already pre-destined to have some kind of assassination attempt(s) against him. And if we examine his Solar Return chart on July 14, 1975 -- when he turned 62 -- we find that transiting Neptune was exactly on his natal Moon at 9+ Sagittarius (no orb!). In addition, Mars at 9+ Taurus and Neptune at 9+ Sagittarius were locked in a precise inconjunct of 150 degrees at his birthday. We have seen the potentially deadly combination of Mars and Neptune before as they were almost exactly square when America was born, when Lincoln was murdered, and when John Wilkes Booth was born. To top it all off, take a wild guess where President Ford's natal Mars was located? 19+ Taurus -- making an exact conjunction (within 7 minutes of arc) to America's natal Vesta (safety and security issues). All this is amazing, indeed. Again, the question comes up -- why did President Ford survive? In his case, security was lacking. In the first instance, Lynette Fromme's gun didn't go off. In the second attempt, a bystander knocked Sara Jane Moore's arms at the last split second. In President Ford's natal chart, we appear to have an answer to all this. He was born with Venus at 6+ Gemini in a flowing, harmonious rapport (120 degrees) to Uranus at 6+ Aquarius. The aspect is very close -- within 9 minutes of exactitude. Think about it! Venus rules women in general and Uranus symbolizes shocking events and potential assassinations. Did the president's nearly precise Venus-Uranus trine save his life that day? Probably so. This reveals a way in which presidents can avoid disaster. Sometimes a natal aspect -- that is very positive and exact -- may serve to protect them from harm.

One of the most recent and bizarre presidential assassination attempts is well known. John W. Hinckley, Jr. -- age 25 -- distraught over the killing of his idol John Lennon on December 8, 1980 by Mark David Chapman and over the edge psychologically after his obsession with teen actress Jodie Foster in the movie Taxi Driver, tried to kill President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981 (approximately 2:30PM) in Washington, D.C. President Reagan was hit by one bullet, although he didn't even realize it at the time. He was forcefully thrown into a limousine by a security guard and thought that he was just bruised from the guard's action to protect him. It turned out that the bullet had entered his body, hit his lung and lodged perilously close to his heart. When he arrived at the hospital, he had already lost a lot of blood and collapsed. All along the American people were made to believe it was a rather minor problem and that the president was recovering nicely. The reality was far different. President Reagan almost died and it took fabulous work by a team of doctors to save his life.

Of course, in typically Reaganesque, humorous style, he made quips. When being prepared for an initial, crucial surgery -- and coming out of temporary unconsciousness -- he told his wife Nancy that he was sorry, he "forgot to duck." Then he asked his doctors whether they were Republicans. The doctors replied: "Mr. President, today we are all Republicans." It was this kind of banter -- while in danger of losing his life -- that endeared this president with a large proportion of the American population during the next 8 years of his presidency. To understand some of the weird astrology connected to this event, we need to go back to President Reagan's birthmap and his inauguration.

He was born on February 6, 1911 in Tampico, Illinois and the time has always been questionable. What isn't up for grabs is the degree of his natal Sun -- 16+ Aquarius. The Sun always represents a person's heart, center of power, fundamental character. Without the Sun in the solar system and in our charts, there is no life, spirit or destiny to follow. When he was elected president over Jimmy Carter on November 4, 1980, the transiting Sun at 13 Scorpio was about to cross his natal Jupiter in Scorpio (signaling a big victory). Reagan triumphed over Carter in a landslide. Simultaneously, transiting Mars at 16+ Sagittarius (symbolizing strong action and personal power) was making an exact productive and constructive sextile of 60 degrees to his natal Sun at 16+ Aquarius. This was the good news. Can you imagine how horrid Nancy Reagan and her professional astrologer Joan Quigley felt when her beloved husband was about to take the Oath of Office as America's president on January 20, 1981?

The problem was that in the two and a half months since election day, transiting Mars had moved to 16+ Aquarius on January 20, 1981! As Ronald Reagan was becoming president, Mars in the sky was crossing his Sun. There was no way to alter this -- as Nancy Reagan had actually done when her husband became the Governor of California. Somehow back then in the 1960s, she was able to have her husband sworn in at a very strange time of the day or night. This was probably due to the advice of her main astrologer. Now, by law, her husband needed to take the Oath of Office at Noon on January 20, 1981 and the energies of Mars would be stamped upon him (on his natal Sun directly) for his period of time as president. This would also mean that Mars would be a big player for the president within his administration and in terms of the national and international events that would ensue during his presidency. By the way, he was also inaugurated during a week when the two largest planets -- Jupiter and Saturn -- both slowed down and turned stationary retrograde within 1/2 degree of each other at 9-10 Libra. [Remember the 20-year curse on American presidents with Jupiter and Saturn together in earth signs. The other good news for President Reagan was that this union was in airy Libra.]

It was during the Reagan Administrations (1981-1988) that we had the suicide bombing in Lebanon that killed over 240 American Marines, the severe recession of 1981-1982, the misguided Star Wars anti-ballistic missile program, the Challenger space shuttle explosion, the Iran-Contra (arms-for-hostages) scandal, Gorbachev coming into power in the Soviet Union, and the eventual confrontation between Reagan and Gorbachev, eventually leading to the downfall of the Soviet Union just after President Reagan left office and President Bush took his place. President Reagan's term in office was extremely martial, but also filled with the power of Jupiter and Saturn (stationary and together as he became our national leader).

The reason he was almost murdered on March 30, 1981 was that from the inauguration on January 20, the Sun kept moving closer and closer to transiting Mars in the sky. By the day of the assassination, the Sun was at 9+ Aries -- closing in on Mars at 10+ Aries. Now the two principal celestial bodies at work when he was inaugurated -- where transiting Mars was on his Sun -- were about to conjoin. Such a Sun-Mars conjunction happens every two years, but it doesn't always happen in fiery, dynamic and impulsive Aries. What made this assassination day even more electrifying was that the Sun-Mars union was exactly opposing the twin Jupiter-Saturn conjunction degrees (9-10 Libra) from the Reagan inauguration! Talk about extreme and potent volatility! In the four days following his shooting, the Sun-Mars union became precise and the president was fighting for his life and pulled through. Once again, we can thank Venus (traditional planet of love and harmony) -- which seemed to protect President Ford in September 1975. Venus -- at the time of Hinckley's shooting of President Reagan -- was also nearing a conjunction with Mars in Aries and the Sun in Aries. In the week following the assassination attempt, faster moving Venus caught up with Mars and formed a union in the sky -- a union closely sextiling (60 degrees and favorable) to President Reagan's natal Sun in Aquarius. In addition, by 9-10 days after the shooting, Venus caught up with the Sun and they formed a union as well. President Reagan was born with a very close and helpful sextile between Venus at 3+ Pisces and Mars at 4+ Capricorn. He came into the world with a blessing between the two planets of love and war. This served to give him the strength to survive this assassination attempt. And his natal Venus was almost exactly trining (120 degrees) America's Venus at 3+ Cancer. Once again, we see Venus coming to the rescue as a comforter, nurturer and protector.

By the way when President Reagan was shot, transiting Venus at 7+ Aries was exactly returning to its placement when President Lincoln was born. And the Sun-Mars union at 9-10 Aries was conjunct Neptune at Lincoln's murder and Jupiter at JFK's assassination. President Reagan's natal Pluto (26 Gemini 05) was only 6 minutes of arc from Uranus (26 Gemini 11) when President Lincoln was murdered. Once again, we see the planetary placements from the history of presidential assassinations in America in a way "reaching out through time" to try and influence future presidents -- in this case, Ronald Reagan. I don't know if anyone has ever pointed out the irony that John W. Hinckley, Jr. was obsessed and disturbed due to his infatuation with actress Jodie Forrest and the movie Taxi Driver, and that Ronald Reagan was the former B-Movie star of the 1940s. This seems meaningful and perhaps appropriate for the movie-crazed and soap-opera drenched society of this time-period. The assassination attempt occurred within 3 days of Neptune (ruling the cinema, illusions and Hollywood) being stationary and while this potentially chaos-creating outer planet in Sagittarius was closely squaring its own placement in America's birthchart from July 4, 1776.

[Important Note: Samuel Byck -- age 44 and someone who was clearly neurotic and disturbed -- attempted to mastermind a plane hijacking on the morning of February 22, 1974 that he hoped would lead to the death of President Nixon at the White House a few hours later. It didn't work out that way. Instead, he wound up killing a pilot, injuring another, creating havoc on a Delta plane in Philadelphia, and taking his own life. Since this wasn't a direct attempt to shoot and kill a president and he didn't get anywhere near the president or the White House, I am only mentioning the event at this time. What is intriguing is that there was a New Moon that day at 3+ Pisces -- exactly on President Nixon's natal Venus within 1/4 of a degree. Again, Venus may have saved this president's life. And President Nixon had Venus right where President Reagan had it -- 3+ Pisces and trining the USA Venus at 3+ Cancer. On February 22, 1974, Venus in the sky at 27 Capricorn 34 made a precise square to Uranus at 27 Libra 34. Not only did this symbolize the scary and shocking events on the Delta airplane, but both planets exactly (no orb; not even a minute of arc) ignited America's natal Pluto (death-rebirth; extremes; underworld; secrets) at 27 Capricorn 34 from July 4, 1776. President Nixon was born on January 9, 1913 at 9:44PM in Yorba Linda, California. His natal Saturn was at 27+ Taurus and natal Pluto at 28+ Gemini. On February 22, 1974, transiting Mars exactly crossed the president's natal Saturn at 27+ Taurus while transiting Saturn -- nearing its retrograde station just a few days later -- was at 27+ Gemini, within 1 degree of the president's natal Pluto. Neptune in the sky at 9+ Sagittarius was once again on the Moon placement from President Lincoln's murder. It would be this same Neptune that would return to 9+ Sagittarius some 19 months later when President Nixon's successor -- Gerald Ford -- would face two assassination attempts in September 1975. Here we see how an assassination attempt against President Nixon -- which never really got off the ground and is little known to most people -- actually shows powerful astrological links to the two attempts against President Ford, the birthchart of President Reagan, and President Lincoln's assassination.]

In this extensive survey over many articles, you may have noticed that I have not posted solar return charts. These maps -- plus other astrological tools -- can be used to unravel the whys, whens and hows of presidential assassinations and attempted assassinations. Now that you have come this far in the series, I did want to mention some salient astrological features in the solar return charts for President Lincoln and President Kennedy during the years when they were murdered.

Anyone who has studied a solar return knows it has great power to influence the following 12 months in a person's life. For those who are not familiar with this type of chart, it is simply a calculation for the exact moment when the Sun returns to the degree, minute and second it was located in when the individual was born. The main controversy that still rages in astrological circles over these maps is whether you are working with the tropical zodiac or the sidereal zodiac. This is too complicated for a full explanation at this time. Suffice it to say that I support working with solar returns in the tropical zodiac. If you are born with the Sun at 5 degrees 15 minutes and 35 seconds of Aries, then I would calculate the solar return for when the Sun comes back exactly to this location using the regular, tropical zodiac primarily used in America and Europe.

Click on the following link, for President Lincoln's Solar Return in 1865:

From his solar return on February 11, 1865, President Lincoln would live only another 31 days. Yet in those 31 days, the man who "Saved the Union" would experience several triumphs -- the capture of Richmond (capital of the South), General Robert E. Lee's surrender to General Grant on April 9, and a sense of the final victory during the last week of his life. We do see this in the Solar Return map in a very close Sun-Jupiter sextile of 60 degrees -- a productive, large-scale, blessed and upbeat alignment. Because the president had also turned 56 years old, Venus is returning to its natal position -- just like the Sun is. [Note: At every eighth birthday, Venus comes back to its own natal placement for every individual. At 56, Abraham Lincoln had experienced seven 8-year cycles.] Venus in Mundane Astrology is often a symbol of peace -- as the ruler of Libra. In his Solar Return chart, we see Venus conjunct Neptune in Aries -- a fascinating symbol of both peace (Venus-Neptune united) and the cessation of four years of fighting (Aries). Yet Venus with Neptune -- on the shadow side -- can also represent a society torn by confusion, chaos and deception. It would take the nation decades to heal itself from the pain, wounds and scars carved out nationally during the Civil War.

I may have mentioned this earlier during one of these parts, but my main astrological mentor Dane Rudhyar once suggested that every year there are transits and cycles which can kill a person most likely on at least three different occasions -- IF it is that person's destiny and fate to succumb. In the Solar Return chart for the president, it isn't hard to see the potentially lethal astrological pattern. Mars at 9 Gemini in the eighth house of traditional death was almost exactly squaring the Moon at 9+ Virgo in the eleventh house. Notice that this is a 90-degree pattern (friction; tension; crisis) and it is within 1/3 degree of exactitude. What happened during the evening of April 14, 1865 when the president was murdered? The transiting Moon rose at 9+ Sagittarius -- igniting this Moon-Mars square precisely in the Solar Return chart and sealing the president's fate. And here is one additional sidebar. Venus in the Solar Return map was at 9+ Aries -- sitting exactly on President Lincoln's natal Vesta (safety and security issues). I have discussed the power of Vesta at length in these articles. Now we see its force again. In this situation, Venus -- in the form of the peace at the close of the Civil War -- may have given the president a false sense of safety and security as he went to Ford's Theatre just five days after General Lee surrendered his army in Virginia. Remember that the president's assassin -- John Wilkes Booth -- was a Sun-sign Taurus (ruled by Venus) and with his Sun degree exactly on America's Vesta from July 4, 1776. [Note: President Lincoln also had the Moon and Venus exactly inconjunct (150 degrees) in the Solar Return and the complication of a precise Mercury square to Saturn -- in fixed, power signs. This latter aspect is another suggestion of the fateful circumstances about to befall the president. The incredibly tight orbs of the alignments in the Solar Return point to the quickness with which the president was murdered.]

Click on the following link, for President Kennedy's Solar Return in 1963:

In this celestial snapshot at President Kennedy's Solar Return on May 29, 1963, we see ominous signals that the leader of our nation is about to have a stormy cycle ahead. Probably the most extraordinary placement is Uranus -- connected clearly to assassination and revolutionary acts -- precisely conjunct the Midheaven. There is no orb involved -- not even one minute of arc! Since the Midheaven itself refers to executive power and authority and Uranus was stationary retrograde when President Kennedy was born, the Solar Return chart is pointing to a lightning-like event that will happen during the course of the next 12 months affecting JFK's ability to run the nation. Of course, we all know that the president was murdered in Dallas on November 22, 1963. What is still unclear is who did it? Was it a large conspiracy -- possibly involving secret organizations within our own country -- or the work of one deranged man, Lee Harvey Oswald? We even see this obscurity and mystery in the Solar Return chart. Notice Mars in the ninth house conjuncting Uranus which then unites with the Moon, Pluto, Ceres, Juno and Vesta. Seven celestial bodies all strung together -- mostly focused on the tenth house of leadership, power and the reins of government. In fact, President Kennedy's Solar Return happened on the day of a First Quarter Sun-Moon Phase symbolizing a "crisis in action." JFK was born at such a quarter moon phase. And the Sun was extremely close to squaring the Moon-Pluto midpoint in Virgo at the Solar Return.

To top off the challenges on JFK's last birthday, note Venus at 13+ Taurus exactly opposite Neptune at 13+ Scorpio. [President Lincoln had a Venus-Neptune union in his last Solar Return map.] It doesn't help that the two traditional malefics -- Mars and Saturn -- are opposing each other within four degrees from the ninth house to the third house. Keep in mind that Pluto at 9+ Virgo in this Solar Return is conjunct the Moon at 9+ Virgo from President Lincoln's last Solar Return. In addition, this Pluto placement at JFK's birthday would be crossed by transiting Uranus on the day he died -- November 22, 1963. All this is remarkable. Finally, be aware of 20+ Taurus setting -- the president's natal Mercury degree and one degree from the USA Vesta. And JFK was born with Mercury, Mars and Jupiter conjunct in Taurus in the eighth house. Mercury itself at the Solar Return was almost motionless -- retrograde, but about to turn direct within 24 hours at 21+ Taurus. Mercury unmoving and setting symbolizes the coming event in November when in a slow-downed motorcade (negative Mercury), the president would be struck by disaster. If there was a conspiracy to kill him, Neptune rising but in the twelfth house and opposing Venus is a significant part of the plot.

Before closing this section, I wanted to share a few ideas about links between President Lincoln and Kennedy, and their respective vice presidents. As I explained in the previous article, our current Vice President Cheney would have to be experiencing major transits and cycles if anything happened to President George W. Bush so that he could no longer by the nation's leader. The current series of articles would be virtually endless if I started to explore all the significant maps for vice presidents. However, they are also important. It is noteworthy that Vice President Andrew Johnson (born December 29, 1808) had a volatile Sun-Mars square (from 7+ Capricorn to 9+ Libra) in his birthchart. If you recall the map for President Lincoln's murder, transiting Mars at 7+ Cancer was closely squaring transiting Neptune at 8+ Aries. This was part of the Pythagorean Triangle (including the Moon at 9+ Sagittarius) in effect at the Lincoln assassination. But now we see that the Mars-Neptune square occurring on April 14, 1865 was also triggering the vice president's natal Sun-Mars square exactly! And don't forget that John Wilkes Booth had made the vice president a target in this conspiracy to bring down the American government. It's just that the conspirator focused on killing Vice President Andrew Johnson lost his nerve -- leaving Johnson to become an embattled president, fulfilling President Lincoln's term of office. Nevertheless, Andrew Johnson became the first president to be impeached by the House of Representatives and he was almost thrown out of office, but retained his position as president by a mere one vote in his trial in the Senate. Certainly, we see at work here the transiting Mars-Neptune square during Lincoln's death haunting President Andrew Johnson due to its virulent impact on his natal Sun-Mars square.

When we look at the birth of President Lyndon Johnson -- born August 27, 1908 at 4:18AM near Stonewall, Texas -- we are shocked again about how precisely astrological cycles function. JFK's vice president had a Moon-Mercury conjunction from 8+ Virgo to 10+ Virgo and Saturn moving retrograde at 9+ Aries in his birthchart. Are these degrees familiar to you? They are the locations for Uranus (9+ Virgo) and Jupiter (9+ Aries) at President Kennedy's murder in Dallas! Thus, Vice President Lyndon Johnson who was riding in the limousine just behind the president was also being hit by exact transits as he stepped into the role of president a little more than 2 hours after the assassination while on Air Force One in a plane heading back to Washington, D.C. -- a plane also carrying Mrs. Kennedy and the body of President John F. Kennedy. Now think about it. Transiting Jupiter and Uranus were in a precise inconjunct of 150 degrees (awkward, jarring link) on November 22, 1963. Uranus was striking Vice President Johnson's Moon-Mercury conjunction. His emotional-mental world was now changing for the rest of his life in a shocking turn of events. And with the King of the Gods planet Jupiter resting right on his natal Saturn, he was moving from a restricted, limited role (Saturn) in the U.S. Government to the number one position.

Click on the following four links to study the Solar Returns for President George W. Bush from 2003 - 2006:

Initially, I had no plans to present these four charts for your study and review. However, I am very glad to offer them as they may represent important signals for upcoming national events affecting the president. Now that we have taken a look at the Solar Return maps for the last birthdays of President Lincoln and President Kennedy, you are primed to put on your psychic detective glasses and be an eminent sleuth. What do you see?

To my eyes, the three charts from 2004-2006 show the most potential challenges and difficulties. Not that the one which just occurred on July 6, 2003 was a piece of cake. In the map for this past birthday, notice Mars conjunct Uranus, and Venus conjunct Saturn for the president. While these are both disturbing patterns, they are not exact, and they are actually trine each other. Nevertheless, if we add the Moon at 2+ Libra in the 2003 Solar Return, we find it in a Pythagorean Triangle with Uranus at 2+ Pisces and Venus at 1+ Cancer. The Sun conjunct Mercury closely opposite Chiron retrograde may signify national and international events that keep throwing the president curve balls and pushing him "out of time" and into a kind of limbo and twilight zone of uncertainty.

The real firestorm concerns each of the Solar Returns for the president in 2004, 2005, and 2006. Now pause for a moment. While we are concerned about the president's life and well-being now in 2003, he may escape disaster in the next few months only to confront it later in this first term in office or following a successful re-election campaign. Thus, looking at the birthday charts for 2004-2006 is highly relevant. The 2004 map is astounding for several reasons. Mars at 7+ Leo is almost exactly rising! And Mars is always a potential threat as a traditional planet of war, violence and bloodshed. It not only rises in this Solar Return, but it strikes the president's natal Ascendant -- which is 7+ Leo. Notice the Sun and Saturn both in the 12^th house -- the same pattern that existed when the president was born on July 6, 1946. Jupiter in the Solar Return at 14+ Virgo inhabits the Vesta placement from Lincoln's assassination and the Pluto placement from JFK's assassination. And the Moon at 26 Aquarius is about to return in America's chart while this transiting Moon is closing in on its monthly conjunction with transiting Uranus. The focus of this union is at the 8^th house in the Solar Return chart.

The 2005 Solar Return doesn't provide a sense of relief, either. Here Mars is not rising; instead, it is precisely setting! I think it is a toss-up whether Mars rising or setting is more severe. One doesn't want to have Mars on any angle in a Solar Return chart. For a president of the country, it is extremely upsetting to see Mars on the Ascendant and then on the Descendant two years in a row at Solar Returns. Notice Saturn in the 10^th house at 28+ Cancer and just past the president's natal Saturn. He will have just experienced three Saturn Returns from October 2004 until June 2005. But Saturn in the 10^th house of any chart may be a bad portent -- something I pointed out earlier in this series when I explained that leaders like Napoleon, Hitler and JFK were all born with this placement, and rose to great heights only to suffer a giant fall from power. In this Solar Return map, Jupiter having risen in Libra may seem a comfort, but the Mars/Jupiter midpoint at 13+ Cancer is not only on the president's Sun degree, it is also on the USA Sun degree. Mars and Jupiter are not always a happy pair and they can represent violence (Mars) in the social order (Jupiter).

I have included the 2006 Solar Return because it is during July 2006 that America's Secondary Progressed Mars will stop and turn retrograde at 18+ Libra. I have discussed this several times in this series of articles. What do see happening in President George W. Bush's Solar Return for 2006? Mars is in the 8^th house at 19+ Leo and within three degrees of Vesta (national and personal safety and security themes) at 16+ Leo. Mars and Neptune (19+ Aquarius) are exactly opposite. And both of these celestial bodies are precisely squaring America's natal Vesta at 19+ Taurus from July 4, 1776. Ouch! Notice how many planets are in the 8^th house of this Solar Return map? And that includes Saturn at 10+ Leo -- which, if we take it out of this chart, is simultaneously sitting on top of the president's natal rising Mercury-Pluto conjunction in Leo. The Moon is conjunct Jupiter in the Solar Return -- a union, which at first glance, may seem positive. However, Jupiter is retrograde, the conjunction is in secretive and death-rebirth Scorpio, and both the Moon and Jupiter are squaring Saturn -- back in the mysterious 8^th house. By adding Chiron at 8+ Aquarius, we see a frictional and tense T-Square triangle in effect. The president's sense of timing is off and his security may be lax -- something that needs to be prevented by the right people knowing how to protect him, particularly when he is traveling. Venus at 14+ Gemini is closely squaring Uranus at 14+ Pisces -- another cosmic signal of a revolution, shock or surprise about to occur, or a sudden disaster befalling his marriage. The big problem is actually Pluto retrograde rising -- within about 1 degree of the Ascendant! Pluto is the planet of extremes, deep-seated transformation and metamorphosis, the underworld. It is also the planet of spiritual willpower and connected strongly to the first ray of will-purpose-power in the Seven Rays of Esoteric Wisdom.

All four Solar Returns for President George W. Bush look ominous, but if the president were utilizing astrology as a tool, he might be able to alter his fate by deciding not to be in Washington, D.C. at his birthdays in 2004, 2005 and 2006. That would allow him to shift away from Mars rising, Mars setting and Pluto rising. He could experience his birthday in another part of the country. Could this change his destiny? Perhaps. Most presidents are in the nation's capital around July 4^th because of the country's holiday, but this president could decide to leave for his ranch in Crawford, Texas or some other locality for his Solar Returns -- all falling on July 5. It's tricky, but if he had a professional astrologer advising him -- as President and Nancy Reagan had with Joan Quigley -- he might be able to avoid the worst on those future birthdays.

To View the natal chart of James Garfield*, click on the following link:

To View the Garfield assassination map, click on this link:

To View the Garfield Inauguration map chart, click on the following link:

To View the Jupiter/Saturn union of 1881, click on this link:

To View a 5AM chart for Charles Guiteau, click on this link:

*Note: The natal charts for James Garfield and William McKinley are taken from Horoscopes of the U.S. Presidents by Doris Chase Doane. The data is from the Second Edition, published in 1971. It is questionable whether we have the precise times for Presidents Garfield and McKinley. Records weren't perfect back in the 1800s. Nevertheless, for our study, the data will be very helpful and sufficient.

Neither the Garfield assassination nor the McKinley assassination has the power and magnitude of the murder of President Lincoln and President Kennedy. James Garfield had only taken office in March 1881 and although known by the nation since the Civil War, President Garfield had not been able to accomplish much since he was shot on July 2, 1881 -- just four months after taking the Oath of Office as president. William McKinley had already been president for a full term and 6 months of a second term when he was shot in September 1901. Nevertheless, with the youthful and dynamic Teddy Roosevelt taking over as president, the nation very quickly got back to a sense of normalcy. In both assassinations in 1881 and 1901, the perpetrator was a lone gunman. No conspiracy was involved. We know John Wilkes Booth was the mastermind of a conspiracy and Lee Harvey Oswald may have been involved in one or the "patsy" of one.

President Garfield and McKinley were both Republicans from Ohio and it is rather fascinating that William McKinley was in the U.S. Congress as a Representative in 1881 when his president, James Garfield, was gunned down. Charles Guiteau -- who shot President Garfield -- was a frustrated office seeker who had hoped to become the Ambassador to France or occupy an important position within the Garfield Administration. He had been stalking the president for several weeks. He was born on September 8, 1841 in Freeport, Illinois, but we have no idea of the time. The man who shot President McKinley was Leon Czolgosz who was born in 1873 (date and time unknown). He was 27-28 years old when he shot President McKinley. We know he was an anarchist and greatly inspired by an Italian-American anarchist who killed King Umberto I in Italy in July 1900. As you go through the charts in this section -- and the following one for William McKinley -- you will want to compare notes with the previous documentation shared on the murders of President Lincoln and Kennedy.

President James Garfield had been a farmer, carpenter, minister, brilliant teacher, school president, brigadier general during the Civil War, Ohio state senator and U.S. Congressman before being elected in November 1880 in a very close contest with Democrat Winfield Scott. Garfield had only 10,000 more popular votes than Scott -- although his win in the electoral college was more substantial. At the Republican Convention in the summer of 1880, it took 36 ballots before Garfield emerged as the Republican nominee for president. He was a total dark horse and not at all expected to be running for the highest office in the land. The Garfield-Scott rivalry was nothing like the one that occurred four years earlier when Samuel J. Tilden -- Democrat of New York -- won the popular vote over Rutherford B. Hayes -- Republican of Ohio -- only to lose by one vote in the electoral college (185 to 184) in a highly-disputed election, having similar overtones to the one in 2000. In fact, in that election fracas of 1876, the nation didn't know who would become the next president until March 2, 1877 just 3 days before the presidential inauguration, that year on March 5, because March 4 fell on a Sunday. When James Garfield became president four years later, the nation was in a clearer and calmer mood.

In President Garfield's natal chart, we note that the Moon is located at the now infamous area of 20+ Taurus. This is America's natal Vesta and John Wilkes Booth's natal Sun. His Vesta at 12+ Leo and Chiron at 13+ Taurus are closely square. This is an astrological pattern that repeated when JFK was assassinated. Notice his Venus at 13+ Libra -- exacting squaring America's natal Sun at 13+ Cancer and conjunct America's Saturn at 14+ Libra. James Garfield came into the world with an approaching Mars-Uranus square in fixed, power signs. This is a celestial pattern of potential volatility and shocking events. His Uranus placement at 10+ Aquarius is the Sun from when Richard Lawrence tried to kill President Andrew Jackson back on January 30, 1835. It is also the Neptune placement for John Wilkes Booth, Chiron at the birth of President Lincoln, the Sun for Presidents McKinley and Franklin Roosevelt, the Sun for current Vice President Dick Cheney, the Moon at the death of President Kennedy, and Lee Harvey Oswald's Mars. Mars and Pluto for James Garfield are also 150 degrees apart and his Pluto at 8+ Aries is conjunct the Lincoln assassination Neptune degree. James Garfield was born with a powerful Pythagorean Triangle --composed of Saturn at 13+ Virgo, Chiron at 13+ Taurus, and a Uranus-Ceres-Jupiter union focused between 11 and 15 Aquarius.

When the president was shot on the morning of July 2, 1881 at 9:21AM in the Baltimore-Potomac Railway Station in Washington, D.C., his progressed Uranus (shocks; assassination; surprise) at 12+ Aquarius was conjunct his progressed South Node of the Moon (fate/destiny) -- both of which were opposing his natal Vesta at 12+ Leo (safety and security). [Note: The president was on the way to New Jersey when he was shot. He was going to visit his wife Lucretia who was sick and recuperating from an illness in New Jersey. Recall how the wives of assassinated presidents have been involved with the events. As I will point out later when discussing President McKinley, his wife Ida had been an invalid for many years before he entered the White House. This had much to do with how he campaigned in the critical election of 1896 against William Jennings Bryan.] Transiting Vesta at 1+ Taurus on July 2, 1881 -- and in the 8^th house -- was exactly conjunct the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction which had occurred on April 18 -- just 2+ months before. There were eight celestial bodies in Taurus and remember that President Garfield was born in the opposite sign of Scorpio. So much of the solar system was acting against him -- symbolically speaking. However, notice that transiting Mars (bloodshed; violence) at the shooting is located at 7+ Taurus -- exactly opposing the president's natal Mars at 7+ Scorpio. The orb was only 4 minutes of arc! Vesta is closely squaring Mercury in the sky and Juno at 10+ Scorpio opposes Saturn at 10+ Taurus. There is also a very tight Pythagorean Triangle -- linking a rising Uranus at 10+ Virgo, Ceres at 11+ Sagittarius, and Saturn at 10+ Taurus. The Uranus and Ceres degrees ignite celestial bodies from both the Lincoln and JFK murders. There is something you may overlook from this assassination chart. Venus at 25+ Taurus is exactly returning to where it was located when John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln. Thus, even a so-called benefic like Venus gets into to the act, but -- in this instance -- perhaps as an indicator of why Charles Guiteau was able to bypass security and shoot the president in the first place. The rising Uranus-Moon conjunction in Virgo at the moment of the shooting is a celestial pointer to the assailant -- in this case, Charles Guiteau, who was born with a Sun-Mercury conjunction in mid-Virgo. In fact, Guiteau's Mercury at 14+ Virgo is conjunct Vesta from the Lincoln assassination and Pluto from the JFK murder. The transiting and rising Uranus at 10+ Virgo was also 150 degrees to President Garfield's natal Uranus at 10+ Aquarius, and transiting Saturn at 10+ Taurus was square his natal Uranus. All of the above is another example of astrological patterns repeating through time and space affecting the lives, safety and security of our presidents.

When it comes to significant celestial patterns, President Garfield's Inauguration is no slouch. He took the Oath of Office on March 4, 1881 with seven celestial bodies focused around the 11^th house -- highlighted by a close Moon-Mars square in fixed, power signs. And Mars is alone in the 8^th house of death -- having just received a square from the Moon. Mars is also closely squaring Neptune -- an aspect in the USA chart, John Wilkes Booth's birthchart, and the murder of President Lincoln. The Sun above opposes Uranus below within a 3-degree orb. This symbolizes potential shocks, surprise and revolutionary events about to strike the president's administration. Juno at 25+ Scorpio closely opposing Pluto at 26+ Taurus signifies the destructiveness just ahead that will destroy the president's marriage. Vesta at 8+ Pisces and Pallas at 8+ Sagittarius are square within less than 1 degree. This is a pattern of potential breakdown in security and safety. Security agents asleep at the wheel, so to speak.

At the Jupiter-Saturn union of April 18, 1881, we find the two largest planets at 1+ Taurus. As mentioned earlier, transiting Vesta (national safety and security themes) as Guiteau shot the president on July 2, 1881 was triggering the Jupiter-Saturn union at 1+ Taurus exactly! Guiteau's natal Saturn (fate; karma; striking out at authority) at 26+ Sagittarius was close to the setting angle at the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Washington, D.C. There was also an extremely volatile Mars-Uranus opposition at the Jupiter-Saturn union -- within 2 degrees of exactitude. Recall that President Garfield was born under a Mars-Uranus approaching square. Pallas (the shield; immunity from harm; intelligence) at 9+ Sagittarius at the Jupiter-Saturn union is located right at the Moon placement from the Lincoln murder and the Mercury placement at the JFK murder. This Pallas also forms squares to Uranus and Mars at the Jupiter-Saturn union of April 18, 1881 -- making this into a tense T-Square pattern in mutable signs.

Charles Guiteau was born on the day of a Last Quarter Sun-Moon Phase (from mid-Gemini to mid-Virgo). This is the monthly time of "crisis in consciousness." His Sun-Moon square was actually amplified by Jupiter in Sagittarius, and Pallas and Uranus in Pisces to form a Grand Cross in mutable signs. There was a kind of crucifixion energy going on at the time of Charles Guiteau's birth. Why was he able to shoot James Garfield with no security protecting the president? Guiteau was also born with a close Grand Trine in air signs -- linking the Moon in Gemini, Juno in Libra, and Neptune in Aquarius. This may have made him into an elusive character. His Uranus at 22+ Pisces closely opposes the USA natal Neptune at 22+ Virgo and closely squares America's natal Mars at 21+ Gemini. The transiting Moon in Virgo on July 2, 1881 when he shot the president was squaring his own Moon in Gemini and nearly on top of his Sun degree in mid-Virgo. Ceres at the shooting was crossing Guiteau's natal Jupiter at 11+ Sagittarius. And here is a real blockbuster. Chester A. Arthur -- President Garfield's vice president -- was born on October 5, 1829. He also had Jupiter at 11+ Sagittarius. The president's murderer and the vice president of our nation were born approximately 12 years apart and had the same exact Jupiter placements in their birthcharts!

In keeping with our study of the astrological effect of assassinations on the charts for the president's wife and marriage, the situation with President Garfield is rather provocative. James Garfield married his wife Lucretia on November 11, 1858 in Hiram, Ohio. Here are some key factors from the marriage chart. The Moon was conjunct Mars in late Capricorn -- not a good signal itself. However, this was also united with America's natal Pluto from July 4, 1776. Their marriage Juno at 20+ Libra is exactly conjunct America's Juno! Neptune at the marriage is located at 22+ Pisces -- exactly opposite the USA Neptune at 22+ Virgo. The Sun on their wedding day was at 19+ Scorpio -- directly opposite the USA Vesta (safety and security) and polarized to John Wilkes Booth's Sun at 19+ Taurus. Chiron at 12+ Aquarius was sharply opposing Saturn at 12+ Leo at the marriage. This Chiron is square James Garfield's natal Chiron while the Saturn placement is conjunct his natal Vesta. The marriage Pluto at 6+ Taurus is where Mars would be located at the president's shooting on July 2, 1881 within 1 degree. Charles Guiteau was born with Vesta at 6+ Taurus. The marriage Venus at 26+ Sagittarius is the same degree as Charles Guiteau's natal Saturn. He was able to shoot the president and destroy the marriage at the same time!

At Lucretia Garfield's birth (April 19, 1832 in Hiram, Ohio), Venus at 3+ Aries was in the exact same degree of the zodiac as Venus for John Wilkes Booth. Her Juno at 26+ Leo exactly opposed her natal Mars at 26+ Aquarius -- revealing the future calamity that her marriage to James Garfield would bring. By the way, her natal Mars is right on America's Moon from July 4, 1776. She was born with a close Sun-Neptune square, and her Neptune at 27+ Capricorn was exactly conjunct the USA Pluto. Her Saturn at 8+ Virgo is exactly conjunct John Wilkes Booth's Jupiter at 8+ Virgo. She seems particularly linked to Booth. She was also born with a very close Mercury-Uranus square -- from 17+ Taurus to 18+ Aquarius. She was someone ripe for a shocking and revolutionary event to happen in her life and family.

[Note: President Garfield eventually died of blood poisoning -- directly caused by the bullet wound from the shooting in early July -- on September 19, 1881 at 10:35PM in Elberon, New Jersey. At this time, there was a very challenging and exact Sun-Mars square in the sky -- from 27+ Virgo to 27+ Gemini. In medical astrology, the Sun rules the heart and Mars rules the blood. Thus, we see an absolutely clear celestial signature revealing how he died. Ironically, the transiting Moon at his death was located at 19+ Leo -- exactly square America's natal Vesta (national and personal safety/security themes). Once again, we see how Vesta is involved even a couple of months after lax security resulted in the president's lethal wounds. Also -- at his death there was a triple conjunction of Saturn, Vesta and Neptune in Taurus. Vesta is once again connected -- this time squeezed between two cosmic heavyweights in Saturn and Neptune.]

To View the chart for William McKinley, click on the following link:

To View the chart for McKinley's assassination, click on this link:

To View the chart for McKinley's Inauguration, click on the following link:

To View the chart for the Jupiter-Saturn union of 1901, click on this link:

William McKinley had been a teacher, captain during the Civil War, attorney, Ohio representative to the U.S. House, and Governor of his home state before being elected president in November 1896 during a fantastic election campaign against a youthful Democratic opponent -- William Jennings Bryan of Nebraska. As you know, some national election campaigns are exciting and close; others wind up being a forgone conclusion. The one in 1896 stirred the imagination of the country.

During the preceding Grover Cleveland Democratic administration, there had been the financial panic of 1893 -- leading to a run on the U.S. gold reserves. It was only through the controversial and yet fortuitous fiscal support by J.P. Morgan and his company that the American economic system avoided a complete collapse in 1895. However, much of the nation was now in favor of a shift away from the Democrats. Populism was also rising and the nation was being split between the more conservative Northeast -- favoring the gold standard and strong, protective tariffs -- and the West and South rallying behind the idea of free coinage of silver. In those years, gold (symbolized by the Sun in astrology) became synonymous with the power of the Republicans, conservatives, wealthy individuals, the industrialist, capitalist and corporate ethos. Silver (symbolized by the Moon in astrology) became synonymous with the power of the Populists and Democrats, farmers, labor, the poor and disenfranchised. It is remarkable in this regard that Gold/Sun have always connected to royalty while Silver/Moon have linked to the masses and common folk in the history of astrology.

William McKinley -- the two-term governor of Ohio -- won the Republican nomination for president at their convention in St. Louis in June 1896. He was clearly the leader of maintaining the gold standard. In Chicago, the following month, Nebraska Congressman William Jennings Bryan stirred the Democratic National Convention with one of the greatest speeches ever at a political nominating gathering. In pushing the Democrats to reject their former President Cleveland and his policies, and instead turn the spotlight on the coinage of silver over gold, he brought the crowd to a frenzy with his final sentence: "You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold."

Although he was not expected to become the party nominee in the first place, this speech rocketed the young 36-year-old to political stardom. He won the Democratic presidential nomination on the fifth ballot. The campaign was unusual in that Bryan toured the entire nation by rail while McKinley stayed right at home in Ohio. He would give speeches on his porch -- surrounded by reporters, well-wishers and people traveling to Ohio just to experience a day or two near the Ohio governor and Republican nominee for president. [Note: We now realize that the main reason was that his wife Ida was an invalid. She had epilepsy and later experienced a seizure at the second inaugural ball in March 1901. It was said that the president had great affection and devotion for his ailing wife. This is also no surprise in that their only two children -- daughters born in 1872 and 1873 -- lived to be 3 1/2 and 5 months, respectively. There must have been much sadness and difficulty in the McKinley household during the 30+ years they were married.] By the fall of 1896 -- in the six weeks before Election Day -- the Northeast became truly frightened by the prospect of a Bryan presidency. The Republicans rallied, Bryan failed to win over the support of industrial workers in the major cities, and McKinley wound up winning the election by a comfortable margin in both the popular and electoral vote. Four years later, McKinley and Bryan would fight again, and President McKinley would win by a greater margin. After four years as president, the former white-hot issue of gold versus silver had largely disappeared, the Spanish-American War had occurred with a big focus on Cuba, and Teddy Roosevelt had become a national hero -- leading William McKinley to choose him as a vice presidential running mate in the election campaign of 1900.

When we examine President McKinley's birthchart, we see the prominence of the Moon at 27+ Capricorn. This is not only America's natal Pluto degree from July 4, 1776, but it is also President Lincoln's natal Moon degree! Both McKinley and Lincoln were born with the identical Moon -- a lunar body conjunct the USA Pluto (a symbol of our national underworld, death-rebirth energies, emotional and psychic extremes). The Jupiter/Saturn midpoint -- a major position in any chart -- for the president was also on his Moon and conjunct the USA Pluto. President McKinley's Sun at 9 Aquarius links up with all the previously mentioned celestial bodies at this approximate point in the zodiac connected to assassinations. His Chiron (twilight zones; out of time; wounds and pains) at 12+ Leo is right on President Garfield's Vesta at 12+ Leo (safety and security themes). His Venus at 26+ Sagittarius sits at the same degree where Venus was located when President and Mrs. Garfield married. Remember that both President McKinley and President Garfield were from Ohio, Republicans and former Civil War veterans. And President McKinley had served in the House of Representatives in 1881 when President Garfield was assassinated.

In President McKinley's natal horoscope, Juno and Saturn conjunct within 1 degree in Capricorn -- both squaring Pluto. This certainly is symbolic of the tragedy regarding his wife's invalidism and the death of their only children early in infancy. A distinctive aspect in the president's chart is an exact Mars-Neptune square in fixed, power signs. This is the same celestial signature that existed when America was born, at John Wilkes Booth's birth, and when President Lincoln was murdered.

When President McKinley was inaugurated for the second time on March 4, 1901, there was extreme tension in the psychic atmosphere. The Sun above at 13+ Pisces was approaching squares to both Pluto at 15+ Gemini and Uranus at 16+ Sagittarius. These latter, two outer planets were already in a rare, disturbing polarity -- affecting all of the nation and humanity. Yet as the second McKinley Administration is getting off the ground, there is clearly an air of disaster in the making. Notice that the Moon is coming away from a conjunction with Mars (anger; volatility; bloodshed) and the lunar orb is located at 6+ Virgo. It would be 6+ months after the inauguration in September 1901 that the president would be shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz. I have already explained before how the degrees for certain celestial bodies can be symbolically converted into time-periods. This cycle of 6 months of time from the inauguration to the shooting of the president is corroborated by the close Jupiter-Saturn union at the Oath of Office. The two largest planets were almost exactly 6 degrees apart in Capricorn! Venus at 28+ Aquarius was exactly opposite Mars retrograde at 28+ Leo. This is another example of the extreme emotional tensions going on when William McKinley had his second inauguration. Remember that his wife had an epileptic seizure at this inauguration. Perhaps that is reflected in the precise Venus (marriage) and Mars (violence) polarity in effect. Neptune rising in the Inauguration chart at 26+ Gemini was directly opposing President McKinley's natal Venus. This reveals the confusion and nebulosity surrounding the president's life in 1901. This Neptune placement was also catalyzing Uranus at 26 Gemini from President Lincoln's assassination 36 years earlier in 1865. Another trouble spot in the inaugural map is that Saturn at 14+ Capricorn was exactly squaring the U.S. Saturn at 14+ Libra and opposing the U.S. Sun at 13+ Cancer. The ancient planet of old karma, fate and end of life was playing a big role in the nation's destiny.

While the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction of November 28, 1901 occurred over two months after the president was shot and killed in September, the astrological pattern was still very influential concerning events of the entire year. Jupiter and Saturn united right at 14 Capricorn -- again squaring America's Saturn almost exactly and opposing America's Sun at 13+ Cancer. In fact, the transiting Moon at the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction was at 13+ Cancer -- crossing America's Sun directly. Uranus above at the Midheaven, Mars conjunct Chiron and opposing Neptune are also celestial signatures of this stormy time for the country. Most notably we also see an absolutely precise (no orb!) 150-degree pattern between Mercury at 17 degrees and 55 minutes of Scorpio and Pluto retrograde at 17 degrees and 55 minutes of Gemini. This is very important as Pluto is located in a sign traditionally ruled by Mercury while Mercury in Scorpio is located in a sign connected strongly to Pluto. Part of our study links with the Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions every 20 years in earth signs and this chart is a real "horrorscope."

I mentioned earlier that the man who shot the president -- Leon Czolgosz -- was an anarchist and 27-28 years of age. He had been inspired by the assassination of King Umberto I of Italy in July 1900 by an Italian-American anarchist. Anarchist groups in America were aware of the presence of Leon Czolgosz, but distanced themselves from him in the months before he shot President McKinley at the Hall of Music at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, NY. The date was September 6, 1901 and the time was 4:07PM. The assassin was waiting in line to greet the president and used a handkerchief to hide his pistol. He fired two shots at the president from almost point-blank range. One bullet was deflected by a metal button, but the second bullet entered the president's abdomen. President McKinley would die from gangrene of the pancreas eight days later (September 14, 1901 at 2:15AM in Buffalo).

In looking at the assassination chart, we find that the rising degree (19+ Capricorn) was the president's natal Saturn degree! Since the time of the shooting is precise, the degree rising at the assassination is also exact. Talk about fate! Transiting Mercury at 22+ Virgo is exactly crossing America's Neptune (confusion; chaos; deception) and squaring America's Mars (bloodshed; violence). The Moon and Neptune in the sky at the shooting -- right at the beginning of Cancer -- are simultaneously striking the Ascendant of the Inauguration map from March 4, 1901. Once again, security is severely amiss and revealed by Vesta at 3+ Libra almost exactly square Jupiter at 3+ Capricorn. After the assassinations of President Lincoln and President Garfield, how could this happen and with a man coming right up to the president himself? Note that America's Venus (peace; harmony; love; balance) is at 3+ Cancer -- being exactly squared by the transiting Vesta at 3+ Libra and opposed by transiting Jupiter at 3+ Capricorn. Perhaps this is part of the reason that the president's security guards were not focused on doing their job. You may remember that John Wilkes Booth was born with Juno at 3+ Capricorn and Venus at 3+ Aries. These placements for Booth -- affecting directly America's Venus at 3+ Cancer -- was a big reason he was able to skirt security and kill President Lincoln.

[Note: When President McKinley died on September 14, transiting Mars at 9 Scorpio was exactly squaring his Sun at 9 Aquarius -- within 1 minute of arc! This is very similar to the Sun-Mars square in the sky when President Garfield died almost exactly 20 years earlier in September 1881. Even though it was said that President McKinley died of gangrene of the pancreas, the main cause was blood poisoning -- like the cause of death of President Garfield. The doctors treating President McKinley were never able to locate the bullet inside him and poor lighting and medical conditions in Buffalo also served to hasten the president's death. Mars afflicting the Sun is another way of saying "blood poisoning" in medical astrology terms. In addition, Saturn (symbolizing the father of the country and the mourning and grief accompanying his passing) turned stationary direct at 9+ Capricorn right as he died.]

In the assassination map of September 6, there is also a Pythagorean Triangle -- composed of the Sun at 13+ Virgo, Uranus at 12+ Sagittarius, and Ceres at 11+ Taurus. We have seen these triangles over and over again in this series. Notice that the Sun is in the 8^th house. The Sun-Uranus square is a key alignment revealing the shocking and revolutionary event itself. If we add Pallas at 15+ Pisces and Pluto at 18+ Gemini to the Sun-Uranus placements, we have a Grand Cross in mutable signs -- a cross eerily reminiscent of the Grand Cross in mutable signs in the natal chart of Charles Guiteau, the man who assassinated President Garfield. [Note: If I discover the birth data of Leon Czolgosz, his astrology chart will be added to this feature.]

As with our other assassination studies, the McKinley marriage chart is important to review. William and Ida McKinley were married on January 25, 1871 in Canton, Ohio. Their marriage did last for 30+ years and this may have been represented by Venus at 16+ Aquarius exactly trining Jupiter at 16+ Gemini. However, at their wedding, Venus at 16+ Aquarius was precisely squaring Pluto at 16+ Taurus. This was a major astrological symbol of Ida's miserable health and the coming disasters in which their daughters would die in 1873 (one girl only 5 months old) and 1875 (eldest daughter dies at age of 3 and 1/2). Vesta at 26+ Aries at the marriage was closely square Uranus-Juno in late Cancer. Here's another symbol of the problems within the family (Vesta also connects strongly to home and hearth) and eventual safety/security problems. There was a potent T-Square triangle at the marriage with the Moon and Chiron in early Aries opposing Mars at 6+ Libra, and all of these celestial bodies squaring Saturn at 4+ Capricorn. [Note: When the president died on September 14, the transiting Moon was crossing Mars from the marriage chart at 6+ Libra within 10 minutes or arc.] When the president was shot on September 6, 1901, the transiting Vesta-Jupiter square (from 3+ Libra to 3+ Capricorn) was wreaking havoc on the above T-Square triangle in the McKinley marriage chart. We also find that the transiting Sun (13+ Virgo) at the shooting was right on the Pallas placement from the marriage while the transiting Uranus (12+ Sagittarius) was squaring the Pallas position of the marriage -- signifying a powerful energy zapping the shield of immunity protecting the marriage from harm. Transiting Mars (4+ Scorpio) at the shooting was approaching an exact square to the marriage Sun (5+ Aquarius).

Ida Saxton McKinley was born on June 8, 1847 in Canton, Ohio. Her Sun at 16+ Gemini was crossed by transiting Pluto and opposed by transiting Uranus as her husband was inaugurated for the second time on March 4, 1901. These hits to her Sun by Pluto and Uranus were once-in-a-lifetime astrology patterns and revealed that "circumstances beyond her control" were in the driver's seat regarding her husband's political future and life energy. Her medical battle with epilepsy and as an invalid is shown at her birth where Chiron ("the wounded healer") is conjunct the fateful North Node of the Moon at 17+ Libra and both are exactly opposite Uranus (shocks; surprises; nervous disorders) at 17+ Aries. Ida's natal Moon in Aries is probably conjunct the Uranus and also therefore opposing Chiron and the North Node. She was born with a close square of Mars at 24+ Pisces and Jupiter at 25+ Gemini. This puts her Jupiter on the Uranus placement from President Lincoln's assassination. Her Mercury at 21+ Gemini was exactly conjunct America's Mars. Her natal Venus at 27+ Cancer was exactly opposite her husband's Moon at 27+ Capricorn, but it was also directly polarized to the USA Pluto and opposing her own Juno at 23+ Capricorn. On the day William McKinley was shot, the transiting Sun-Uranus square (13+ Virgo and 12+ Sagittarius) triggered her natal Saturn (karma; fears; restrictions) at 12+ Pisces -- by opposition and square. Even Venus at 17+ Libra crossing her Chiron/North Node conjunction and exactly opposing her natal Uranus at the shooting did not help to save her husband. It may have helped to keep her going a little longer without him, but probably leaving her in a terrible state of consciousness. She would outlive her husband by 5+ years -- passing away on May 26, 1907.

I had originally planned to write a closing synthesis in this Part IV. However, because of all the voluminous material presented thus far, it feels right to bring a Part V into the picture. Therefore, next time there will be a weaving together of this study, along with a particular emphasis on three celestial bodies playing dramatic roles time and again -- Mars, Vesta and Uranus. I also want to take a closer look at the remarkable movements of Mercury, Jupiter and Uranus in the several weeks leading up to the death of President John F. Kennedy. There is something very unusual about the entire month of November 1963 -- not just the day of his assassination. Analyzing this time-period may help all of us as astrologers tune into future cycles when the planets move into profound mathematical alignments with each other -- activating the four assassinations in American history. And we will return our focus to President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and America's Destiny in the years ahead. Keep tuned to this cyberspace web channel for late-breaking stories and our next feature.