NewsScope for August 28, 2001

Condit Country: Mars and Chiron

Connie Chung's interview with Gary Condit last Thursday was the most watched news program since Barbara Walters interviewed Monica Lewinski over two years earlier. As his wife, children and 23 million households listened in, Condit said he had a close relationship with the missing intern Chandra Levy, but he did not know what happened to her.

Astrologically, the most prominent configuration at the time Condit broke his silence was an exact conjunction between Mars and Chiron. This combination is energetically strident (Mars) in order to psychologically compensate for feelings of weakness or woundedness (Chiron). The Mars-Chiron connection is an astrological signature in this mysterious case, and can be found in Condit's natal chart (April 21, 1948) with Mars square Chiron.

Due to the recent retrograde cycles of Mars and Chiron, these two have formed three conjunctions over the last four months. The first conjunction took place on May 1, 2001, which was the day Chandra disappeared. Her Internet search ending around 1 pm on that day occurred precisely as Mars and Chiron formed their first conjunction, which happened to lineup with Condit's Jupiter. Condit must have been extraordinarily active on May 1.

The second Mars-Chiron conjunction occurred on May 19 when both planets were retrograde. The action depicted is turned inward, and around this time Condit was withholding information about the true nature of his relationship with Chandra. Now, during the third Mars-Chiron conjunction the combination forms a helpful trine to his vocal Mercury in confident Leo. However, the Mars-Chiron is also opposite his natal Uranus, revealing the deep personal crisis now unfolding.

The Militarization of Space

Last Friday President Bush tapped General Richard Myers to be Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staffs, sending a clear signal to Congress and recalcitrant Pentagon bureaucrats that the militarization of space is moving forward. General Myers champions cyberwar tactics in space and currently heads up the U.S. Space Command.

General Myers was born a visionary Pisces (March 1, 1942; Kansas City, MO; time unknown) with his Moon in dramatic Leo. While Pisces natives are often considered "spaced-out," Myers' powerful Mars-Saturn-Uranus triple conjunction in practical Taurus indicates he is fully capable of manifesting his dream of controlling the space around planet Earth.

Myers' appointment comes at a critical juncture in the ongoing Saturn-Pluto opposition, the alignment pushing toward major reform in the U.S. military. Myers will be expected to deliver the rest of the generals for the Bush-Rumsfeld plan to construct the National Missile Defense system. Myers has his Jupiter, the planet denoting where we can expand our horizons, right under the exact degrees of the current Saturn-Pluto polarity.

President Bush's horoscope is dominated by combative Mars now and for the next three years*, so quite naturally he has promised to spend dwindling federal budgetary dollars on defense. Spy satellites, space-based lasers, and space bombers are in vogue, and the 1972 ABM Treaty is history. The Myers appointment arrives as transiting Mars and Chiron oppose the U.S. Mars, signifying his task will be to overcome Pentagon recalcitrance. (Editor's Note: WolfStar uses a Scorpio rising U.S. chart.)

Connie Chung, All Fire and Air

What does it take to land the most sought after interview in the country? Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer and many other prominent TV journalists had all vied to get the prize interview, but when Gary Condit was ready to speak out, Connie Chung received the call.

Connie Chung was born an outgoing Leo (August 20, 1946; Washington DC; time unknown) with her Moon in talkative Gemini. Perhaps Condit felt Chung would be sympathetic to his political rehabilitation since her Venus lines up with his Neptune. Perhaps he felt protected and encouraged by her political savvy since his Jupiter is conjunct her Pallas (the political strategy asteroid) and trine her Sun.

It didn't work out as Condit planned. Connie Chung's Saturn squares his Sun, as her inner command of the situation and personal authority (Saturn) overwhelmed his natural spontaneity and self-confidence (Sun). Her Mars-Neptune conjunction in Libra is diplomatic and sensitive to how far she can go before being seen as too aggressive.

Chung's chart is unusual in that she has no planets in earth or water. All her planets are found in fire and air signs, and this includes the four major asteroids and Chiron. Chung's two archrivals, Diane Sawyer (December 22, 1945; Glasgow, KY; time unknown) and Barbara Walters (September 25, 1929; 6:50 am; Boston), share a similar preponderance of planets in fire and air signs. Apparently, fire and air contain the chief elemental qualities necessary to be a successful TV interviewer: social intelligence and passion for the issues being discussed.

*See NewsScope May 8, 2001 for more on this perspective.