(Disclosure: Obama is my pick for President in 2008).

One year ago I wrote an astrological profile of Barack Obama when it appeared he had some real staying power for the Democratic party. Previously he had been little known other than as a junior senator from Illinois and for an exceptional keynote speech he delivered at the party convention in 2004. It appeared possible that Obama was more hype than substance, but a year on the campaign trail has dispelled all notions that Obama is a passing phase.

Since then, astrologers have worked diligently to try to find a birth time for Obama. Astrology has come a long way, but not to the point where our political leaders provide birth times to astrologers. Michael Wolfstar uses the 1:06 pm birth time which presumably came from the late Frances McEvoy, but that chart, with Scorpio rising, does not ring true for me and you can find out why here. So I continue to use noon for Obama’s chart rather than take a chance with an unverified birth time.

Obama’s progressed Moon has just changed signs, entering Aquarius after a 2-1/2 year stint in hardworking Capricorn. The shift from Capricorn to Aquarius is a transition from the Capricornian hard work and discipline to the vision of Aquarius that simply opens up the mind to receive insight from the higher planes. This reflects the fact that the slogging through the campaign trail may be over, and now Obama is merely shining a light and asking people to follow. The American people are looking for not only change – they want something completely different and we see this coming to a head with the election chart in November that has Saturn in opposition to Uranus: the status quo (Saturn) being shaken off by the new (Uranus). Uranus rules Aquarius, and Obama fits right into that sense of change. In addition, his progressed Venus is exactly conjunct his progressed Uranus, another Uranian signature that shows his ability to reach out to people (Venus) of all kinds (Uranus) including independents (Uranus) and even Republicans who want change (Saturn/Uranus).

In my article last year I wrote that “[Obama] is going through a long term cycle of Pluto in square to his progressed Sun which could lead to battles over power issues (perhaps with the Democratic establishment?) and we certainly saw that take place. Currently, transiting Saturn is passing over the T-square in his chart that includes an opposition from Chiron (wounding/ healing) to Pluto (transformation) that probably squares his Moon (emotions/ emotional stability). This cycle began back in October when Obama began to fell behind in the national polls and was criticized for his gospel music campaign stop with an anti-gay musician. The second phase of the Saturn cycle occurs in February and March of ’08, with the wrapup in July. The transit of Saturn to Pluto usually creates change, and this is a time when Obama can easily embrace that change. The transit of Saturn to Chiron is more problematic as it creates an increased sensitivity that is difficult on the campaign road. There is also an increased risk of illness due to stress.

The February eclipse at Super Tuesday does NOT affect Obama’s chart where it DOES affect Hillary’s (I’ll write more on that later) which augers well for Obama’s placement there.

The most interesting time to observe Obama will be in May through September when transiting Uranus makes a stop directly opposite his Mars. This is a time of increased radical behavior and rebellious change – although Obama’s Virgo Mars tends to be rather cautious and circumspect which may keep things under control.

Obama is really the face of the new United States – he’s multi-racial, young, and appears able to have a broad appeal. He has not resorted to the kind of vicious attacks that most Americans are tired of. Some Democrats have argued that Obama would be a president like Jimmy Carter – unable to deal with the harsh realities of Washington. Carter won by the slimmest of margins: 50.1% to Gerald Ford’s 48%. If Obama can win the Presidency by a wide enough margin, he can reunite the country and force the congressional establishment to change as well.