Fred Thompson announced his bid for the presidential election last week just in time for the eclipse. You wouldn’t think an eclipse would be the best time to begin an endeavor like running for President, but Fred Thompson wouldn’t care about small things such as this.

With four planets in his chart including the Sun in Leo, the sign of royalty and kingship, Thompson is confident and certain in his powers of persuasion and ability to rule. Leo is generous, open, gregarious, and concerned primarily with celebration of the Self. Leo’s grand gestures and good deeds often have an underlying agenda that requires adulation and acclaim, particularly in those individuals who have not fully developed their egos and still require attention from outside of themselves in order to feel whole.

The placement of Venus in Leo shows his charisma and generosity of heart in relationship to others, and a conjunction of Pluto to Venus reveals an intensity in his nature that can manifest in a strong sexuality and sense of power. The Venus/Pluto conjunction is in a harmonious relationship (sextile) to a conjunction of Uranus and Saturn in his chart, which helps him to balance that intensity with a desire for freedom (Uranus) and a strength of character and self-discipline (Saturn).

Jupiter in the family-oriented sign of Cancer shows a strong need to care not only for the family, but for the entire tribe with which Thompson feels affiliated. Combined with the intense loyalty that is a signature of Leo, Thompson will reward any entity or being that has supported him, and this could be the underlying reason for his loyalty to corporations both as a lobbyist and with his votes against immigration reform and pro-corporate stance.

Mars denotes our aggressive instinct, and in Thompson’s chart it falls in Virgo. Virgo is a conservative sign that is cautious and seeks perfection, and Mars in Virgo typically indicates a strongly conservative streak. Mars conjuncts Mercury (thought process) in his chart, which combines the aggressive urge with the communication function and gives him a force of expression that can be very impressive. Because Virgo is the sign of the Mars/Mercury conjunction he is able to keep his temper under control and tends to be analytical and detailed in his thinking (both Virgo traits). Still, he has a fiery (Mars) mind (Mercury), and this trait combined with the Leo stubbornness shows that he does not back down from a fight.

The combination of Uranus and Saturn is an interesting one because these two planets are diametrically opposed in their significance. Where Saturn is the planet of established social structures and morals, discipline, hard work and achievement – Uranus is the planet of breaking down established social orders and building something completely new. It’s the revolutionary, the rebel. Despite Thompson’s innately conservative nature, he doesn’t want to be the same kind of conservative as anyone else. He has to do things his own way, but he may be able to coast through on sheer force of personality.

While the Saturn/Uranus combination is in harmonious aspect to Venus and Pluto in his chart, it is in conflict (square aspect) with the Mars/Mercury conjunction. It is likely that during his life Thompson suffered from depression as the pressure to succeed arising from a deep insecurity (Saturn square to Mars/Mercury) conflicted with a restlessness within himself and desires to break free of confinement (Uranus square to Mars/Mercury).

The planets will be kind to Thompson over the next two years, and he may turn out to be the GOP candidate to watch.