Stephen Colbert, political satirist and star of Comedy Central’s show “The Colbert (pronounced Colbear) Report (pronounced Repor) has announced his candidacy for president of the United States. He will be running as both a Democrat and a Republican, a “Favorite Son” candidate in South Carolina. His announcement for candidacy defied any other candidate to pander to South Carolina more than he will:

Stephen Colbert’s astrological chart is a fascinating combination of extremely stressful planetary configurations combined with a series of harmonious ones indicating severe challenge in life combined with great ease and success. He was born with the Sun in Taurus in an exact opposition to Neptune, a signature of an individual who has an excess amount of creativity and a vivid imagination to the point where one’s fantasy life (Neptune) can interfere with one’s sense of reality (Sun). There can be a sense of a loss of self with this placement which is common in the charts of actors who utilize this quality to slip in and out of character. Many comedians have adopted alter egos (just watch Saturday Night Live for a few examples), but Colbert has adopted a duality of his own identity instead as an expression of this Sun/Neptune opposition.

The stabilizing but stubborn Taurus influence has probably been instrumental in keeping Colbert’s feet firmly on the ground. Along with the Sun, Colbert’s chart shows Jupiter (good fortune), Mars (aggression) and Mercury (communication) in a fairly tight conjunction in Taurus, the sign of perseverance and security. Jupiter in Taurus requires a solid base from which to explore one’s life, there is a need for beauty and comfort in one’s surroundings as well as a natural gift for accumulating wealth. Mars in Taurus shows a nature that is slow to anger and relentless in its pursuit of its desires. Mars in Taurus never quits!! Mercury in Taurus has a practical mind that dislikes change – once the mind is made up it rarely changes. Put together, the combination of Jupiter, Mars and Mercury is the classic signature for a “blowhard,” an individual who is aggressively (Mars) confident (Jupiter) in his own opinions (Mercury). One has to conclude that Colbert’s alter ego, the arrogant fool that isn’t afraid to let you know that he’s an idiot, is actually a part of Colbert himself.

Colbert’s Gemini Moon offsets the rigidity of this stellium in Taurus, and gives Colbert the “gift of gab.” Gemini is the sign of communication and change, and the Moon shows what we need to feel emotionally secure. The Gemini Moon reveals Colbert’s inner need to be able to express himself at all times. Gemini is witty and charming, but is also extremely changeable (the sign of the twins). Colbert’s Moon is squared by Chiron, the Wounded Healer, indicating a deep inner wound to his inner sense of security which mirrors the loss of his father and brothers in a plane crash when Colbert was 10.

Colbert has an interesting opposition of Saturn, planet of conservatism and structure, to a combination of Uranus and Pluto. Uranus is the planet that urges us to rebel against the status quo and Pluto turns our lives inside out in order to transform us in a way that is deep and meaningful. When Saturn opposes these two there is a split between the radical within us (Uranus/Pluto) and the part of us that requires more of a conventional life (Saturn). Colbert expresses it this way: “I’m a khaki-pants, blue blazer, brass buttons iconoclast.”

Colbert has some great planetary cycles coming up for him over the next year that will help to increase his power, influence and paycheck. Harmonious transits of Saturn will help to give him the stamina to achieve and continue to build his fame, and harmonious Jupiter transits will help him to expand his vision and provide a springboard of general good luck for his endeavors.

Why vote for Stephen Colbert? Personally, I would have preferred the Stewart/Colbert ticket. But here’s what the man himself says: “”What do I offer? Hope for the common man. Because I am not the Anointed or the Inevitable. I am just an Average Joe like you—if you have a TV show.”