One time, while aboard Air Force One, President John F. Kennedy was asked by a reporter what would happen if the airplane crashed. JFK smiled and said: "I'm sure of one thing. Your name would be in the paper the next day, but in very small type."

Dateline: Begun August 21, 2003, 1:11AM PDT and completed at 6:27AM PDT with the Sun conjunct Jupiter at 29 Leo exactly rising in Eugene, OR! -- As with previous articles in this series, I am dating this for the future. I am writing this fifth part of the series with Gemini rising -- very close to the USA Mars placement from July 4, 1776 -- and the Mars-Uranus conjunction in Pisces culminating near the Midheaven. As we shall see later in this feature, Mars is one of the primary factors that must always be watched and considered when dealing with assassinations. There has also just been a day of extreme bloodshed and violence in Iraq and Israel (Tuesday August 19 -- the day of the Last Quarter Sun-Moon Phase, symbolizing a "crisis in consciousness"). The UN Headquarters in Baghdad was destroyed by a suicide bomber driving a cement-mixing truck while another suicide bomber destroyed a bus in Jerusalem. Scores are dead and the Middle East Roadmap to Peace is once again on detour. Certainly, this connects to our summer of Mars (bloodshed; violence; energy; personal power) united with Uranus (shocks; revolution; surprise; unexpected lightning strikes; cosmic awakening).

These are two of the key planets being ignited in the birthchart of President George W. Bush -- something I have explained in detail in earlier parts of this story. Our current president is experiencing transiting Mars in Pisces opposing his natal Mars in Virgo three times this summer and into the fall. In addition, slow-moving Pluto in Sagittarius -- the outermost planet -- is polarized to his natal Uranus and Lunar North Node in Gemini. The president has been the chief catalyst putting the American military (Mars) back into the Middle East (Afghanistan in 2001-2002, and Iraq in 2003). Of course, this all follows the terrorist events of September 11, 2001 on our home soil. Nevertheless, all this violence and America's expanded presence in the Middle East and Persian Gulf reminds us that the president now has enemies galore. Even though presidential security is probably at its peak in our history, what has been shared thus far in this series of articles reveals that there are always gaps in time when, for one reason or another, a guard or agent protecting the president may fall asleep at the wheel. It's crucial that our Secret Service and national protective agencies (represented by Vesta in astrology) be incredibly vigilant over the next few years -- and on a daily and hourly basis. I will share much more on Vesta later in this article.

To View the Birthchart of President George W. Bush, click on this link:

To View the Birthchart of Vice President Dick Cheney, click on this link:

To View the Birthchart for America, click on the following link:

I am offering these three horoscopes again as a convenience for you. They already appeared in earlier features in this series -- particularly Part III. What I want to do now is share some important observations on the entire study of assassinations and to tie up loose ends as we near a temporary completion of this unusual manuscript on American history.

In our modern era where so many people now have their charts done via computer and even online, what is being lost for a new generation of astrologers is working with the ephemeris that shows all the celestial movements day by day. When I began my astrological studies in 1972, the ephemeris and table of houses were critical astrological books and tools. There were no computers or even sophisticated hand calculators. [Note: Most of the software and calculation programs started appearing in 1976-1978.] You needed the ephemeris and a table of houses to meticulously calculate and draw up an astrological chart from scratch. In order to make absolutely sure I wasn't making any mathematical errors, I would often spend 2-3 hours minimum drawing up a chart. And this was also fortuitous because I was learning about the person and soul -- behind the chart -- as I was preparing the horoscope itself.

Now someone can turn on a computer, open a software program, and print out various charts and astrology data in a few minutes. However, what is missing is the looking into and study of the ephemeris. To me, the ephemeris is the bible of astrology. You can learn so many secrets about the heavens, cosmic timing and celestial cycles/rhythms by exploring the ephemeris.

The months of the Lincoln and JFK assassinations are cases in point. During both time-periods, you can see the extreme build-up of celestial intensity toward the days of the assassinations -- April 14, 1865 and November 22, 1963. What I am saying here is essential for our current generation of astrologers to examine when anticipating the possible assassination of our national leaders -- whether now, in the next few years, or many years and decades from now. Thus, it is not only the day and moment itself that must be analyzed; it is the several weeks leading up to the event.

To View the Lincoln Assassination map again, click on this link:

For instance, in April 1865 it is very clear that the cosmos is building up to some extreme happening around the middle of the month. Mars in Cancer is approaching the square to Neptune in Aries for the entire week before John Wilkes Booth assassinates President Lincoln at Ford's Theatre on the night of April 14, 1865. Notice that Mars is uncomfortable in Cancer (a water sign) and Neptune is uncomfortable in Aries (a fire sign). They are, in a sense, misplaced zodiacally. And Mars connects with bloodshed and murder (when negative) while Neptune links with conspiracies, deception and illusion (also when negative). As I have explained before in these articles, America was born with an almost exact Mars-Neptune square from Gemini to Virgo, and even John Wilkes Booth has one of these square patterns of Mars and Neptune approaching in his birthmap. Of course, except for his fellow conspirators, no one else knows that John Wilkes Booth is planning to murder the president of the United States. Nevertheless, the ephemeris is showing us what is happening! In addition, as Booth commits his horrendous act -- setting off a gigantic chain of presidential assassination events to follow in U.S. history -- the two benefics of astrology are also making statements when we examine the ephemeris. [Note: John Wilkes Booth has Venus ruling his Sun-sign of Taurus and Jupiter is the "King of the Gods" in mythology -- a clear symbol for the president. I shared these ideas earlier in this series and we now see how the stations of Venus and Jupiter set up Booth and Lincoln as the two main protagonists in this drama.]

Venus at 25+ Taurus was slowing down in motion for the week before Lincoln's assassination. It turned stationary and retrograde on Saturday-Sunday April 15-16, 1865 -- as a shocked and grief-stricken nation began picking up the pieces after this first successful assassination of an American president. Giant Jupiter -- usually an emissary of good fortune, expansion and opportunity knocking -- was also slowing down in motion for the week before the president was murdered. Like Venus, it also stationed and turned retrograde at 29 Sagittarius on Saturday-Sunday April 15-16, 1865. What are the odds that the two seemingly best and most fortunate planets would simultaneously slow down, stop and go backward as the man who "Saved the Union" is killed by a young, 26-year-old actor? And as I shared in the first two parts in this series, the transiting Moon at President Lincoln's assassination was rising at 9+ Sagittarius -- igniting the building Mars-Neptune square and creating the unusual Pythagorean Triangle. 98+ years later -- in November 1963 -- the ephemeris tells a parallel story.

We know about the momentous shock the nation experienced at 12:30PM CST in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963. Many astrologers have studied this horoscope and compared it to charts for President Kennedy, Mrs. Kennedy, Kennedy family members, the USA birthmap, Vice President Johnson's horoscope, and so on. However, just as in April 1865, something unusual is happening during the couple of weeks before JFK is murdered in Dallas.

To View the JFK Assassination chart again, click on this link:

When you look carefully in the ephemeris for November 1963, you cannot help but be astounded by the gradual movement of three planets -- Uranus, Jupiter and Mercury. Uranus is moving slowly in Virgo at 9+ degrees. It remains in this degree the entire month. And recall that Uranus is one of the key cosmic agents of the act of assassination itself. Meanwhile, the largest planet Jupiter is in retrograde motion from 11+ Aries and moving toward 9+ Aries. After several weeks of a build-up toward an exact 150-degree, awkward and tense inconjunct pattern, these two celestial bodies form the precise pattern on November 22 itself and almost exactly at the moment of the assassination! What makes the entire month and that day even more significant is the motion of Mercury -- ruling transportation, communication and Gemini, President Kennedy's Sun-sign. Mercury reaches 9 degrees and 45 minutes of Sagittarius as JFK is shot and killed. It creates the most precise Pythagorean Triangle that we have uncovered so far in thus study -- because Jupiter retrograde is at 9 degrees and 49 minutes of Aries while Uranus is at 9 degrees and 49 minutes of Virgo. [Note: I told you in a previous part that President Kennedy was born at simultaneous Mercury and Uranus stations. And in his chart, Mercury is conjunct Jupiter (along with Mars) in Taurus in the eighth house squaring stationary Uranus in Aquarius. Thus, the same three planets so actively involved with each other when he was born were once again precisely configured in a very rare sky pattern as he died!] As I have pointed out before, Chiron (ruling déjà vu experiences; being "out of time"; the wounded healer; pains and wounds that may never heal) was also slowing down in retrograde motion at 10+ Pisces during November 1963 until the fateful day of November 22 when it stopped and turned direct. It's location was 10 degrees and 14 minutes of Pisces -- where transiting Mars just stopped in late July 2003.

In both the Lincoln and JFK murders, you have the fast-moving celestial body (the Moon on April 14, 1865 and Mercury on November 22, 1963) being the igniter or catalyst of the other two planets in the Pythagorean Triangle. There are also planetary stations right at the assassinations -- Venus and Jupiter stopping and going into reverse as President Lincoln dies and Chiron stopping and going forward when President Kennedy dies. Stations of planets imply that humanity also needs to stop and pay attention to something significant. As above, so below -- this is the ancient aphorism linking heaven and earth, the macrocosm and the microcosm. [Note: A key image that comes to mind concerning the three celestial bodies connecting into a Pythagorean Triangle at the Lincoln and Kennedy murders is that of a combination lock on a safe being opened by a master safecracker turning the dial to three successive numbers -- until the safe door springs open!]

Regardless of what I have said before on this subject and no matter what I share in the future, the above section is one of the most important to ponder when astrologers look ahead to see what's in store for the nation and our leaders in terms of their safety, security and ability to survive any attempts on their lives. [Note: When President Garfield was shot on July 2, 1881, there is also something remarkable going on in the sky with eight celestial bodies in Taurus. This is clearly unusual in the extreme and the president was a Sun-sign Scorpio, so all these planets were in opposition to his heart and life force. And two of the planets in Taurus were Mars and Saturn, the ancient and traditional malefics within a conjunction of 2 degrees. Mercury at 1+ Leo was about to go retrograde two days after the shooting and therefore was virtually motionless. The asteroid Juno retrograde at 10+ Scorpio was also not moving and would go direct three days after the event. When President McKinley was shot on September 6, 1901, Chiron retrograde was virtually motionless at 29+ Sagittarius -- conjunct Jupiter from the Lincoln Assassination! -- and Ceres at 11+ Taurus had no motion and was about to turn retrograde within 48 hours. America was born at a Ceres station -- the only celestial body stationary when our country was born on July 4, 1776. I have also shared that eight days after President McKinley was shot, he died on September 14, 1901 -- exactly when Saturn at 9+ Capricorn stopped its retrograde motion and turned direct. I think we can say with great confidence that at all successful presidential assassinations, key celestial bodies were slowing down, moving from retrograde to direct or vice versa, and therefore lending their power and influence into humanity, and the individuals who would become dramatic players in the momentous events on earth.]

In our study, Uranus -- planet of revolution, sudden change and shock waves -- is a big player. It was the great astrologer Grant Lewi -- author of Astrology For The Millions and Heaven Knows What -- who explained that America came into the world on July 4, 1776 when Uranus in Gemini was very close to its own Heliocentric North Node (fateful cosmic source point). The Soviet Union came into the world on November 8, 1917 with Neptune in Leo on its own Heliocentric North Node. And the Nazi Third Reich came into the world on January 30, 1933 with Pluto in Cancer on its own Heliocentric North Node. This was one of the most astute observations in the history of mundane astrology interpretation in my humble opinion. Many astrologers don't work with or understand the power of the heliocentric nodes of the planets. Dane Rudhyar studied these quite a bit and wrote a booklet on it entitled "Orbital Astrology." The heliocentric nodes are as powerful -- if not much more powerful -- than the fateful lunar nodal axis utilized by almost all astrologers over the past few hundred years. As opposed to the lunar nodes -- which retrograde through the zodiac in a complete cycle every 19 years (approximately) -- the heliocentric nodes are relatively stationary, move forward, but at a very slow pace. [Note: The Heliocentric North Node of Mars is at 19+ Taurus -- the USA Vesta placement! The Heliocentric North Node of Vesta is at 13+ Cancer -- America's Sun degree and also the Sun placement for President George W. Bush! More on this near the close of this article.]

Because America comes into the world and humanity as a Uranian agent of democracy, capitalism, liberty and revolution, there is much about our nature that refers to the idea of "overthrow of authority." Even in our birthchart for July 4, 1776, the most significant aspect is an approaching Sun-Saturn square, from 13+ Cancer to 14+ Libra. In a sense, back in those heady days of the American Revolution, it symbolized the tyranny of England (Saturn) against the united 13 colonies (Sun), and the manipulation and control by King George III (Saturn) via taxes against our citizens who felt they didn't have an adequate voice in their own evolution and search for freedom (Sun).

Thus, America has been a great exporter of revolution to the world. Consider the following: the French Revolution of the late 1780s and early 1790s; the Latin American revolutions of the early 1800s; the revolutions created by Lenin, Mao and Castro. If it weren't for America's revolutionary success against England from 1776-1781 (the year -- 1781 -- Uranus was discovered, in case you have forgotten), the other revolutions around the world may never have occurred or been triumphant.

When Uranus was discovered on March 13, 1781, it was located at 24+ Gemini. When it first returned to this placement (and its own position in America's chart at 9 Gemini), it was in the 1860s and America experienced the revolutionary Civil War and President Lincoln's murder -- very close to Uranus back on its own discovery point. When Uranus returned the next time to its discovery placement (and position in the USA chart in Gemini), it was the 1940s -- with the liberation of France by the allied forces, leading to victory of freedom over tyranny in World War II. This was also the time of the revolutionary partition of India and Pakistan (1947), the creation of Israel (1948) and even the mysterious UFO Roswell Crash (July 1947) and the Kenneth Arnold sighting of 9 flying disks near Mount Ranier in Washington state (June 24, 1947) -- leading to the first usage of the term "flying saucers." Remember that President George W. Bush was born close to Uranus returning to its own discovery position. He has Uranus at 20 Gemini and exactly with his Lunar North Node (a placement indicating fatefulness and destiny). He appears to be a very Uranian figure in our history and therefore closely connected to both President Lincoln and President Kennedy -- who were born with Uranus stationary and turning retrograde right at their births. I have already discussed many of these finer points linking our current president to these two giant figures in our presidential history. It is therefore not surprising that George W. Bush was part of one of the most shocking and revolutionary (Uranus-related) elections in American history. He is and will remain a Uranian agent in all our lives and for the entire planet as long as he remains the president of the United States and the Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces.

I know the above title is difficult for die-hard supporters of former VP Al Gore to accept. I was one of those supporters in 2000 and felt devastated by the sudden turn of events (Uranus) in December 2000 when the Supreme Court in a 5-4 ruling made George W. Bush president over Al Gore. However, my watching presidents in power for many decades shows me that each president is carefully and fatefully selected to enter the Oval Office -- often for mysterious reasons at the beginning of the term, but which become very clear by the end of the administration. Here are some cogent examples of the key purposes for which our presidents were elected.

FDR -- Elected to eliminate national and international FEAR. His having polio gave him the will to fight against all odds. This illness also symbolized the paralysis of the West against the Nazi/Fascist onslaught of the 1930s.

Truman -- Guided the USA in the closing days of World War II. His Taurean toughness was needed in the decision to drop the atomic bombs over Japan -- ending the war.

Eisenhower -- The former leader of the allied forces liberating France in 1944 was elected president to serve as an indomitable force against the surge of Communism in the 1950s.

JFK -- His key mission was to have the intelligence -- along with his brother Robert Kennedy, the USA Attorney General -- to resolve the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962.

Johnson -- Followed JFK to promote the democratic ideals of the Great Society and fulfill Civil Rights promises during the turbulent 1960s.

Nixon -- He opened the door to China and its 1 billion people. His crucial role was to serve as an agent for all presidential abuse of power. Thus, he resigned in disgrace in August 1974.

Ford -- He played a brief, but significant role, linking the Nixon years to the Carter presidency. His first speech said it all: "Our long national nightmare is over…Our Constitution works; our great republic is a government of laws and not of men…"

Carter -- He realized Nixon's mission of bringing China back into the world community of nations. Opened the door to peace in the Middle East through the Camp David accords.

Reagan -- Plain and simple goal -- to defeat Communism and make Americans feel good again about our nation after the Iranian Hostage drama from November 1979 to January 1981.

Bush I -- Introduce America back into active role in the Middle East via the Persian Gulf War of 1991.

Clinton -- Breakthroughs in Cyberspace, Business and the Environment (the good news). To expose presidential history of sexual liaisons and abuse (the bad news).

Bush II -- Issues are focused on: Protecting the homeland from terrorism and restoring America's greatness and predominance around the world (the positive side). Scandals linked to oil, backroom deals, stolen elections and the control by the Military-Industrial Complex (the negative side). Eisenhower -- another Republican president -- warned the nation about the Military-Industrial rise to power in his farewell address on January 19, 1961.

It remains to be seen whether our current leadership team of Bush-Cheney will stay in power and fulfill a triumphant two terms in office. Because President George W. Bush is a Sun-sign Cancer with his solar life force right on the USA Sun degree, he is fiercely protective of the nation. The key nature of Cancer is to secure its home base. And that is precisely what the president has attempted to do since September 11, 2001 and with the establishment of the new department of Homeland Security. Now many of his opponents around the nation feel he has gone way overboard through restrictions of liberty, encroachment against the Bill of Rights, and the re-empowerment, in drastic fashion, of the armed might of the nation's military power, at the expense of the national economy and environment.

Many people have felt that the true "power behind the throne" of the U.S. presidency is actually Vice President Dick Cheney. I have presented his chart in Part III and looked carefully at his key astrological patterns. It's an awesome birthmap for a person so active within government. There is no doubt that -- astrologically speaking -- he would be a perfect replacement for President George W. Bush if something dire happened to the chief executive. The vice president's natal chart -- linked to the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction of May 28, 2000 -- and current transits reflect the fact that he could easily fit into the shoes of the presidency without a hitch. He is fully capable and prepared -- except for one major factor. That is his history of heart attacks and heart trouble. Therefore, can you imagine the situation for the nation -- and the entire world, for that matter -- if President George W. Bush were incapacitated somehow and the vice president had to step forward as president with his finger on the nuclear button while he is prone to heart attacks? It's quite astounding that the public is not concerned about this. Are we sleepwalking again -- in terms of presidential safety and security -- as during the time-periods of the Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley and Kennedy assassinations?

Keep in mind that President George W. Bush has no planets in Taurus at his birth. Vice President Dick Cheney has Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus in this sign -- with Uranus at 22+ Taurus stationary direct at his birth on January 30, 1941. Recall that his Uranus exactly trines America's Neptune at 22+ Virgo from July 4, 1776 and that the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction of May 28, 2000 fell at 22+ Taurus -- right on his Uranus. Of course, the vice president's birthday connects to the births of other Solar Aquarian presidents William McKinley (January 29, 1843) and Franklin Roosevelt (January 30, 1882). And it was during the Garfield and FDR presidencies that Jupiter and Saturn united in Taurus. Everything seems to be orchestrated for the most powerful vice president in our history to take over the reins of power sometime in the next few years. Nevertheless, it is always possible that all the alignments mentioned simply mean that the vice president is connected to American history and will just remain in his position with no advance to the top spot. If he is already performing as the "secret" president -- so to speak, because of his expertise, knowledge and connections -- then he may not need to make the actual move into the presidency. This would save the nation from another colossal disaster in terms of a president leaving before his term of office was over.

The foregoing two paragraphs bring up this salient question. Can President George W. Bush survive and break Tecumseh's curse? If he is capable of pulling this off and remaining as president till 2005 or 2009, then the Jupiter-Saturn in earth sign every-20-year deaths of U.S. presidents is NOT valid! We would have to go back and realize that it was only a fluke, an illusion, a coincidence for many presidencies, but something that finally did not hold up to rigorous scrutiny.

In the beginning of this series, I explained the power of Mercury and Pluto united on the horizon in Leo for our current president. It is crucial to understand because America was born on July 4, 1776 with Mercury retrograde in late Cancer closely opposing Pluto retrograde in late Capricorn. Presidents Lincoln, Truman, Clinton and now George W. Bush are born with this union. It is a clear signal that something extreme (the nature of Mercury combined with Pluto) is going to happen in our country when such a person becomes president!

So, when you look back, you see it. President Lincoln -- born with Mercury conjunct Pluto in Pisces -- was president during the Civil War and suffered the first assassination as our nation's leader. President Truman -- born with Mercury conjunct Pluto in early Gemini -- dropped the atomic bombs (nuclear energy is related to Pluto) on Japan. President Clinton -- with Mercury conjunct Pluto in Leo -- exposed the sexual side of the presidency. And now President George W. Bush is our leader during and after the September 11, 2001 terrorist bombings in America.

There is one more president who came into the world with a Mercury-Pluto union. That person was William Henry Harrison (born on February 9, 1773). He was another Sun-sign Aquarian president who only served in the White House for 32 days! He was inaugurated on March 4, 1841 and refused to wear a coat or hat even though the weather was cold and stormy. He gave an inaugural address of 8,578 words -- the longest ever by a president. His demise began at the ceremonies -- a chill and illness that led to pneumonia and pleurisy. He died on April 4, 1841. His Mercury and Pluto were in late Capricorn and within 6 degrees of a conjunction. His Mercury was within 1 degree of America's Pluto from July 4, 1776. It was his death -- close to the first Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in earth signs (8+ degree Capricorn placement on January 26, 1842 -- an event called "The Great Mutation" in astrology) -- that began the entire curse on U.S. presidents every 20 years since then. Harrison was the first president to die while in office and he had a very close Pythagorean Triangle in his natal chart composed of the Sun at 21+ Aquarius, Uranus at 20+ Taurus, and the Moon at 20+ Virgo. In fact, his Uranus is conjunct the USA natal Vesta (safety/security themes again) and his Uranus is exactly where Uranus would be on October 18, 1939 when Lee Harvey Oswald was born.

This is very fascinating because it places the Mercury-Pluto conjunction right in the midst of the entire assassination history. It's as though this union acts as a kind of lightning rod for extremism. Realize that the norm is for Mercury to be aligned with the Sun -- the center of the solar system and the symbol for enlightenment, life, heart and spirit. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and must remain within 28 degrees of the Sun in the zodiac at all times. When Mercury comes into contact with Pluto by conjunction, the traditional "Messenger of the Gods" is taken over by the potential "dark side of the force." The Plutonic vibrations of the underworld, mystery, death-rebirth themes, extreme transformation and metamorphosis may start wreaking havoc on communication, intelligence, transportation, business and the principles of inter-connection among all life on earth and in humanity.

Now think about the dire happenings in America since the election of George W. Bush -- who is born with Mercury conjunct Pluto rising, very close to America's fateful Lunar North Node, and also on the Heliocentric North Node of Neptune. Because America itself has Mercury Rx opposite Pluto Rx, there are many secrets within our government -- like the "Black Operations" and "Black Budget" we always hear rumors about. This is part of America's hidden agenda -- something that is never admitted by presidents and remains below the surface of national consciousness (Pluto as a symbol for the unconscious). It is possible that some of this may eventually become exposed in the years to come if the national economy falters and any presidential scandals appear on the scene.

If you take even a cursory look at the president's chart, you will see Vesta at 3+ Aries in his 9^th house, Ceres retrograde at 10+ Aquarius in his 7^th house, and Pallas retrograde at 4+ Capricorn in his 5^th house. These three asteroids are the only celestial bodies in the western hemisphere of the birthchart. The western side of the chart has always been synonymous with other people and also -- potentially -- giving up your power to others. One usually identifies closely with planets at the rising area while the planets that are setting are more of qualities that are distant from you -- that are represented by other people coming into your life and symbolizing those energies.

President Bush is NOT an asteroid type of guy. Except for the strength of Juno in Libra (representing marriage) -- conjunct his Chiron, Moon and Jupiter -- the other three asteroids are part of the president's weakness. Remember that Vesta is connected to national and personal safety and security; Pallas is the shield and intelligence to make someone immune from harm. President George W. Bush has these two asteroids closely squaring each other. We have already learned in this study that the president's natal Vesta at 3+ Aries is exactly conjunct John Wilkes Booth's Venus and the Moon at 3+ Aries (in the 8^th house) is the lunar placement at the Jupiter-Saturn union of May 28, 2000. John Wilkes Booth also had Juno at 3+ Capricorn -- within 1 degree of our current president's natal Pallas. We know Booth was a big Vesta (safety/security) figure in our history because his Sun at 19+ Taurus was exactly on America's Vesta from July 4, 1776. In fact, when Booth died on April 26, 1865 at a farm in Virginia, transiting Vesta retrograde at 13+ Virgo had just stopped and turned direct! Over and over again, we have seen the power of this small and yet bright asteroid that has only been studied by astrologers since 1972. Looking at a larger pattern for President George W. Bush, it is clear that Vesta in Aries opposes Neptune in Libra -- with Pallas in Capricorn as the pivot or fulcrum of a tense, T-Square triangle. In the future, our president's ability to escape disaster may depend on transits activating this astrological triangle!

With Uranus, Saturn, Pluto and Mars occupying the 1th, 12^th, 1^st and 2^nd houses at his birth, the president is much more identified personally with these archetypal energies. We might even say he has a "military-industrial complex" of his own psychically. His Saturn/Pluto midpoint (a heavyweight combination that can be linked with extreme determination, but also ruthlessness) is within a few degrees of his Ascendant in Leo and his Sun/Pluto midpoint is on his Saturn within less than 1 degree. These patterns suggest someone who has a secret agenda that is based on power, control, money, entrenched forces within leadership positions. Nevertheless, because he has Mercury rising and Venus in the 1^st house in upbeat, loving and cheerful Leo, he can also give a broad smile and broadcast a happy and joyful countenance -- while intense and mysterious actions may be happening hidden from the light of day. The transit of Neptune in Aquarius -- now in his 7^th house for the first time in his life and opposing his natal Pluto throughout this year and particularly this fall -- indicates that any deceptions in his life and with others will prove costly. Hence, all the confusion internationally about whether we lied concerning Saddam Hussein's Weapons of Mass Destruction and whether we really wanted to take him out so that we could establish American power in oil-rich Iraq. This is why the president could find himself in a nasty scandal -- coinciding with Saturn crossing his Sun at 13+ Cancer this fall and next spring, a cycle that last happened in August 1974 when President Nixon resigned in disgrace due to the Watergate Scandal. Saturn is the traditional planet of old karma and the sins of the father being revisited on future generations. I have already shared that President George W. Bush's natal Saturn is conjunct President Kennedy's Saturn and that both presidents have Saturn closely opposite the USA Pluto in Capricorn.

And here's one more important note on safety-oriented and security-focused Vesta at 3+ Aries for President George W. Bush. Due to his Progressed Vesta shifting retrograde in 1977, he will have a very rare Progressed Vesta return to its natal placement in 2006-2007! Thus, if the president is re-elected, his Vesta energy -- internally -- will be at a white-hot fever pitch in those years. That's during the time that the USA Progressed Mars stops at 18+ Libra and turns retrograde. This will be the first time ever that America's Progressed Mars (energy; power drive; warfare; military; bloodshed; violence) will have paused, shifted and gone into reverse. By the way, it was in 1977 -- when the president's Progressed Vesta slowed down and turned retrograde -- that he met Laura Welch and they married. The other main meanings for Vesta are home and hearth! Finally, be aware of this stunning reality. We already know from my previous research that on January 20, 2005 (the next presidential inauguration), transiting Jupiter at 18+ Libra will have returned to its natal placement for President George W. Bush. In general, this would certainly be a positive indicator that he may survive through the tumultuous election battles of 2004 to win and go on to second term in office. On January 20, 2005, there will be another celestial body returning to its natal placement for our president: Vesta in the sky at 3+ Aries will be back to its natal position for George W. Bush! In an astounding example of astrological synchronicity, we see that this celestial body Vesta -- so much the star of our research on presidential assassinations and the need to keep our chief executive secure, safe and out of harm's way -- will make its presence known on the next inauguration day in dramatic fashion. Surely, this cannot be mere chance and coincidence. It is some kind of divine, stellar orchestration at work for a hidden purpose.

If you put my feet to the fire and ask which planets I would watch most carefully regarding future assassination attempts against a U.S. president, my answer is: Mars, Vesta and Uranus. Mars because of its traditional link to violence, bloodshed, murder, danger, accidents, inflammatory behavior and the action of the assassination itself. Vesta -- clearly from our study -- because it is a main celestial body relating not only to national/personal safety and security, but to those governmental groups (like the Secret Service) that are organized to protect the president from harm. In each of the four, successful assassinations against U.S. presidents, the security system failed and failed miserably. It's a manifestation of negative Vesta. And Uranus is an obvious choice because of its links to revolutionary happenings, surprise, sudden acts that create topsy-turvy situations, shocking events, coup d'etat and overthrow of authority and the established order, and the like. You can go back through these five articles and realize how often these three celestial bodies are involved in the nitty-gritty of presidential assassinations in our history.

Now, in a broader approach, every celestial body must be considered when examining the months and years to come. When I wrote about the up-and-coming, highly potent Total Solar Eclipse of November 23, 2003, I also indicated that almost every New and Full Moon chart, Equinox and Solstice map that will happen during the rest of 2003 -- when calculated for Washington, D.C. -- has ominous overtones for the nation, the chief executive and the powers of the presidency. I mentioned earlier that the Heliocentric North Node of Mars is located at 19+ Taurus -- America's natal Vesta degree. And Vesta's Heliocentric North Node is focused at 13+ Cancer -- the Sun placement for America and President George W. Bush. What this does is to more forcefully integrate the cosmic power of Mars (warfare) and Vesta (security and safety) into our national horoscope structure. It also serves as a warning for all future presidents and vice presidents. You may think you are protected, but are you really? After all, that fourth plane on September 11, 2001 -- the one that crashed in Pennsylvania, thanks to the heroism of the passengers -- may have been headed to incinerate the White House. The president was elsewhere at that time, but imagine what would have happened to our nation if a plane had also crashed into the White House -- destroying it in an instant? The symbolism -- after the toppling of the WTC towers and the hit on the Pentagon -- would have seared the nation in an unforgettable manner. The events of September 11, 2001 were extraordinary anyway, but a strike against the White House might have plunged the nation into a completely irreversible course of martial law -- the ultimate victory for those forces allied against our country and its history of freedoms and religious/ethnic tolerance and understanding.

[Important Note: Back in our Scorpio 1994 edition of Welcome to Planet Earth astrology journal, I discussed the power of the Progressed New Moon for America happening exactly on October 20, 1994 at 19+ Aquarius. Progressed New Moons are incredibly dynamic and potent. They only occur for a nation or person every 29 and 1/2 years. This is what I said almost nine years ago. "Because the USA Progressed New Moon at 19 degrees and 51 minutes Aquarius almost precisely squares America's natal Vesta at 19+ Taurus, national security themes will be pronounced over the next few weeks and, in reality, the next 30 years! There's no way to escape it. As clearly shown by asteroid watcher and researcher, Eleanor Bach, Vesta is strongly associated with all national security matters. In recent weeks, Congress has been trying to decide if the CIA should still exist! And all national security agencies (CIA, FBI, Secret Service, etc) were sorely tested and embarrassed by the shocking plane crash on the White House grounds (September 12, 1994 1:49AM EDT). Vesta connects with many other qualities and principles, but the national security one is numero uno right now." This was written in early October 1994. Re-read the previous paragraph where I discuss September 11, 2001 and the fourth plane that was probably headed to destroy the White House. Now look again at this quote above where I remind you about another plane that crashed on the White House grounds on September 12, 1994. We had a similar event -- a gigantic breach in safety and security on September 12, 1994 -- 7 years to within 1 day! -- before the terrorist events of September 11, 2001! I don't believe anyone else has ever commented on this weird convergence of dates and events. And in both cases airplanes were involved. Remember that the USA Progressed New Moon was in Aquarius -- a sign ruling airplanes. Little did I realize in October 1994 that I would be talking about the USA Vesta (and national safety and security matters) in such a manner that 7 years later we would see traumatic events unfold in America that brought our nation's population virtually to its collective knees in prayer, humility, horror and fear.

Keep in mind that in any future presidential assassination or attempted assassination, there will be literally dozens of new charts to analyze, blend and juggle. Yet what has been provided in these features will exist as a foundation. We have to hope that no future presidential assassinations are successful and that our Secret Service remains vigilant.

As I near the end of this article, I look back to the beginning of our journey with the death of President Lincoln. Why was John Wilkes Booth able to accomplish his horrible act in the first place -- with this assassination having a gigantic ripple effect throughout American political history? Now that I have seen and uncovered the astrological evidence, why are all these celestial bodies lining up so powerfully and why are human beings pawns in a cosmic chess game? And WHO or WHAT is playing the game? Divinity? Something devilish? Some combination of the two? Is this the old God versus Satan battle and we just see the earthly, human result but cannot see what's taking place invisibly? I am feeling rather staggered by the weight of the astrology evidence showing how fateful all these assassinations were, are and may be in the future.

Back in March 2001 -- while our printed astrology magazine Welcome to Planet Earth was on hold -- I clearly saw that a major, war-like event was going to engulf America. I pinpointed the time to July/August 2001. The year 2001 was going to be the 60^th anniversary of the sneak attack by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor -- a shocking event that propelled our nation into World War II. In March 2001, Pluto stopped at 15+ Sagittarius. By July 2001, Mars would station at the same degree -- 15+ Sagittarius. Why did I feel the USA would be at war in 2001? Because I could go back in the ephemeris to the attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941) when the transiting Sun was at 15+ Sagittarius, Jupiter retrograde was opposite at 16+ Gemini, and Mars was located at 15+ Aries. All these planets were being ignited in dynamic fashion in 2001 by the powerful stations of Pluto and Mars. However, 15+ Sagittarius/Gemini was also the Mars/Uranus midpoint when America was born on July 4, 1776! The entire combination of the Pluto and Mars stations in 2001, the energies of Pearl Harbor and the hit on our natal Mars/Uranus midpoint (signifying explosive and shocking violence) were enough to convince me that something dire, martial and life-changing would happen to the nation.

So many times from March 2001 to August 2001, I was prepared to write letters to all our subscribers -- alerting them to the danger. I thought of posting a warning on this astrology web site. However, I resisted all the temptations. I didn't want to be a "chicken little" -- claiming that the "sky was falling." I have never wanted to be a forecaster of doom and gloom. When August 2001 ended, I felt relieved that I didn't share my forebodings and that I didn't come right out -- in a vulnerable way -- and claim that a national disaster was around the corner. I thought I had been prudent, careful and sensible. Then September 11, 2001 happened. I realized all my concerns, fears and worries had been proved correct -- only the timing occurred a little after my private predictions.

I relate this short story of what I didn't share with the public in 2001, so that you understand why I am sharing the five features you have now read. This year -- 2003 -- I wanted to put everything out there for you to assimilate, absorb and meditate on even if nothing happens. No one knows for sure what the future will bring, but now -- in regard to the history of U.S. presidential assassinations -- we as astrologers will be better prepared if the unthinkable happens one more time.

Stay tuned to this web channel for late-breaking stories and a further update on this topic if events warrant it. [Note: Donations toward this series of articles -- truly a book-length manuscript -- are welcome. See the address below where you can contact the author. Thank you!]