Astrology in the news: The Candidates’ Wives

With the exception of Geraldine Ferraro, we naturally focus on the men running for the office. However, first ladies have sometimes stolen the show. I recall Jacqueline Kennedy making a huge impression all over the world. In a speech, John Kennedy once spoke of himself as being her husband.

This year we have two very different ladies on the campaign trail, Teresa Heinz Kerry and Laura Bush. Both women have college educations, both have children, and both have strong public agendas. What can astrology tell us about them?

Laura Bush's natal chart:

Laura Bush grew up in Midland, Texas, attended Southern Methodist University, and earned a degree in Library Science from the University of Texas at Austin. An avid reader, she supports efforts to improve the quality of education worldwide. She holds events in the White House to honor authors and their works. As recently as October 7, she campaigned on the education platform, mentioning the No Child Left Behind initiative.

Campaigning takes its toll on everyone involved. You would hardly know it by looking at Laura Bush. She seems to thrive on the role of the supportive wife. As the campaign draws to a close, several astrological aspects come into play for her:

• Saturn will trine her Mars. This brings forth a situation that she just wishes would end. She may become impatient with the nature of campaign advertising. She needs to take care and not rush from one place to another.
• Uranus will square her Venus. Laura may find more in her husband to love through this campaign. Circumstances show her a lot more about him than most of us will ever see, and her emotional tension probably sparks their relationship.
• Neptune will trine her North Node and oppose her Pluto. Laura will find new ways to entice people over to her side. She has a way of getting her own ideas into the spotlight when she really cares about an issue.

A final aspect: Jupiter will connect with her birth Jupiter in a bittersweet way. She is an optimistic person by nature. She could overestimate her ability to handle situations that come up in the campaign, or if Kerry wins the election. She is stronger when her life is on the increase, and would have to adjust her thinking considerably in defeat.

Teresa Heinz Kerry's natal chart:

Of the two women, Teresa has more obvious creative energy, with three planets in the Fifth House of creativity. Her creativity takes her in two distinct directions—first she is mother to three sons. When her first husband died, she was offered the chance to occupy his senate seat. Instead she opted to care for her children. She took a seat as chairman of the Heinz family foundations. Here we see a second area of creative expression. She champions environmental causes, education for young children, lower costs of prescription drugs, financial security for women, and she promotes the arts.

As the election comes closer, Teresa will feel the pressure in three distinct ways:

• She will be traveling extensively. She will be speaking on many topics, and she will “spin” the facts in an unusual way
• She has to adapt her keen awareness of her own core beliefs to suit the campaign environment. Yet her vocal style has strong appeal for women.
• Election Day presents her with a very fortunate situation. She will bring to conclusion some of the activities that have been strong interests in the past, and move into a role in which she can even more successfully focus her efforts.

Teresa Heinz Kerry is a woman who will make the most of whatever is presented to her. As First Lady, she would be positioned to command an even broader audience in pursuit of her philanthropic goals. Her travels and language capability would make her a wonderful ambassador for her husband, should he become president.