NewsScope for September 11, 2007

Fred Thompson Announces

Fred Thompson is now an official candidate for the Republican nomination, having made his announcement last Wednesday on The Tonight Show. Thompson then embarked on a five-day road trip to the early primary states, where he painted himself as a true conservative with small-town values. Although Thompson is a late arrival to the crowded field, his poll numbers place him among the top three candidates.

Fred Thompson was born with his Leo Sun (August 19, 1942; 2:09 pm*; Sheffield, AL) in the Ninth House  of Law, Philosophy, and Foreign Relations—subjects that have always defined his creative self-expression. His Tenth House of career holds Neptune, a placement often associated with acting. Neptune here led him into an unexpected film and TV career, and a favorable comparison to Ronald Reagan.

His Sagittarius Moon right on the Ascendant is highly opinionated, but this is smoothed out by the trine from his Venus-Pluto conjunction. The Moon here may make him appear soft and slow to start, but a no-nonsense Mercury-Mars-Saturn configuration assures us that he can play hardball politics. The Moon also opposes Uranus, placed in the Seventh House of partners, a combination that describes his outsider profile, as well as his unusual wife, Jeri Kehn.

Thompson made his announcement just as transiting Pluto was turning direct while trine his Leo Sun. Progressing his chart reveals the strong role Jeri plays in this campaign, since his progressed Juno was exactly (to-the-minute) conjunct his Moon. Over the next few months, as transiting Pluto approaches the square to his Neptune, he will be challenged to better define his agenda, to get specific about his policy proposals.

Osama bin Laden's Plans

Released only days before the sixth anniversary of 9/11, the latest Osama bin Laden video does not issue any direct threats. However, intelligence analysts believe the tape offers clues that American interests are being targeted, noting that his dyed beard is a sign of war. CIA director Michael Hayden warned that Al Qaeda is planning "high impact plots against the American homeland."

Bin Laden's horoscope (March 10, 1957; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; time unknown) tells us that the threat of attack is real, especially considering the various Mars influences. The tape was aired to the American public as transiting Mars was exactly squaring bin Laden's Pisces Sun. Then, his progressed Mars now stands at 26º Gemini, which is now being opposed by Pluto, as Pluto turns direct.

These powerful martial influences are backed up by a radical Uranian vibe. Recall** that the September 11, 2001 event took place as bin Laden's progressed Sun squared natal Uranus. More recently, Uranus turned retrograde while nearly conjunct his Sun in late June, from which point he must have been planning his next attack. This weekend's Solar Eclipse opposed his Sun, while Uranus will return to his Sun in March 2008.

The "preparation for war" concept seems valid, since over the next few months Bin Laden will be experiencing a progressed New Moon. He's ending a major life cycle and beginning a new one. Although we don't know his birth time (6:45-7:00 am?), we do know that his progressed New Moon takes place at 9º Taurus, right on the U.S. Descendant, the point signifying open enemies. This is the same degree occupied by Saddam Hussein's Taurus Sun, and tells us that the U.S. is his target.

Luciano Pavarotti, King of the High C's

Last week, Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti was eulogized as a "great artist" with "a profound sense of humanity," as tens of thousands of admirers paid their respects following his death from pancreatic cancer. Pavarotti's musical career lasted some 50 years, from his captivating performances on the world's greatest opera stages to his more recent concerts shared with pop stars like U2's Bono.

Pavarotti was born with his Sun in refined Libra (October 12, 1935; 1:40 am; Modena, Italy) opposite the Moon in bold Aries. This Full Moon dynamic found expression in his drive to be the best (Moon in Aries) while working within various partnerships (Libra Sun). The Sun-Moon tension is harmonized by the favorable aspects to his dramatic, theatrical Leo Ascendant.

On July 9, 1990, Pavarotti teamed up with tenors Placido Domingo and Jose Carerra for an evening concert just before the 1990 FIDA World Cup final. At the time, Pavarotti's progressed Ascendant was conjunct his Ceres in Libra, and transiting Pluto was conjunct his IC, marking a new beginning. The concert became the best-selling classical record of all time, and launched the successful singing team of the Three Tenors.

Pavarotti has a Fire Grand Trine, linking his Mars in Sagittarius, with his Aries Moon and Leo Ascendant. These placements bestowed tremendous showmanship and self-reliance, and a never-ending fount of creative expression. Jupiter squares the Ascendant from his Fourth House of Home. Pavarotti died near where he was born, and the town of Modena will forevermore be associated with his great voice.

*This time is rectified by the author, and should be considered speculative. For more on Thompson and some of the astrological details of how this chart was rectified, please visit http://neptunecafe.com/thompson.html

**For more on Osama bin Laden, see NewsScope September 18, 2001, November 19, 2002, and November 2, 2004.

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