Though there’s been plenty of excellent analysis of Republican Presidential and Vice Presidential nominees McCain and Palin (especially at Jude Cowell’s sites ‘Jude’s Threshold’ http://judecowell.wordpress.com/ and ‘Stars Over Washington’ http://starsoverwashington.blogspot.com/  she can also point you toward some other great material), I wanted to take a look at these two running mates as partners, applying many of the same principles we look at in any co-operative venture. A multitude of pertinent and lucid points of contact between the charts have been noted by other astrologers; I decided to concentrate specifically on asteroid contacts, both to other asteroids and to planets and points, and what these might suggest about the interaction of these two self-described ‘mavericks.’ Rather than assessing the implications for their political beliefs, I was looking for just how they might see each other, and how this might drive the relationship.

I used a biwheel and put John McCain (29 August 1936, 9:00 AM EST, Coco Solo Air Base, Panama) in the center, since we have a reliable birth time for him, and thus reliable angles, and also because as Presidential nominee and the ostensible chooser (as distinct from the ‘decider’ we’ve come to know and loathe) of the running mate, McCain logically would be dominant, making his angles more prominent to the duo. I used the data for Sarah Palin as presented by Jude Cowell, with the prospective (but still speculative, to my knowledge) morning birth time (11 February 1964, 7:06:26 AM PST, Sandpoint Idaho USA).

The first thing that jumps out is the busy 11th (what McCain has to give the world): McC’s Juno in Leo conjunct P’s Leo Earth, McC’s Sun conj. P’s Uranus, and McC’s Neptune conj. P’s Pluto, these latter in Virgo. With Juno in a man’s chart signifying what he identifies as ‘wifely’ behavior, or as appropriate to any person with whom he might partner, we find his ideals of Leonine ‘glory’ (certainly observed in Cindy McCain’s shellacked, trophy status) met in Palin’s Material Purpose–the circumstances with which Palin surrounds herself may in some way represent an ‘ideal woman’ to McCain, and these are likely connected to a willingness to ‘shine,’ to assert the Self’s goals shamelessly, but to appear ‘down to earth’ in doing so, and to be front-and-center with the personal agenda–certainly qualities that likely got Palin noticed in the first place. His 11th also holds his own Sun in Virgo conj. her Uranus, a contact that suggests he can identify with her individuality, and the Neptune to Pluto contact says he may not see her ‘darker side’ clearly, while she could end up trashing his ideals–of course, from another perspective, she could ‘clear the way’ for institution of his ideals (or dangerous fantasies)–unfortunately, we don’t get to vote on this particular manifestation! 

Much has been made of their Neptune connections, but the one that intrigued me is her Neptune conj. his Ceres. With this we see that she may not comprehend totally the role he expects her to play, namely that of a powerful authority figure (a goddess, even!) who can stand up to Hades and can control the political ‘seasons’–a tall order indeed. His Ceres is also conj. her Pallas, so he may certainly see her as having the wisdom to handle the job; but alarm bells should be going off in him, if his intuition were up and running, at the conjunction of his Piscean Earth to her Aquarian Saturn/ Piscean Chiron conjunction. This promises suppression and hurt to his material circumstances, and his Piscean Saturn quincunx Palin’s Leo Earth says that what he requires of her will take adjustment to her (perhaps ‘show-off-y’) material situation. These latter contacts should have warned them off each other, but were clearly overridden by other aspects (or sheer, unbridled ambition, your choice).

McCain’s Vesta is conjunct Palin’s North Node, and the near Nodal reversal has been noted by many commentators; I think the biggest effect may be that McCain may tend to see Palin’s life direction and intents as sacred–this is not the first contact that suggests an unwillingness on McCain’s part to recognize her motives and goals. His Juno is trine her Ceres, supporting her overreaching and controlling inclinations as appropriate and positive (!) McCain’s Chiron is quincunx his own Ceres and square his Saturn, implying that he may be more likely than most to trust a female who asserts her authority without hesitation, as he is ill at ease with his own internal anima–after all, he may think, would she tell others what to do if she didn’t have a right? And McCain’s Chiron is sextile her Earth and trine her Sun, suggesting that his own wounds may make him susceptible to her sense of authority. This Chiron is likely his Kryptonite, and Palin in many ways holds it in the palm of her hand.

The final aspect I’d like to discuss is her Venus at 00 Aries. This is a problematic placement simply by virtue of the newness of the energy in the sign; a ‘raw’ Venus in Aries is, for a woman, trying to find her stance as a female in a sign that is animus controlled and that emphasizes a ‘me first’ attitude, not a total contrast to Venusian vanity but with a solitary, rather than partner-linked, focus. Her Venus squares McCain’s Nodal axis, his Vesta, and opposes his Venus and Mercury. This mix sounds like a recipe for values that will be firmly at odds, some consolation to those of us who feared she was a radical reflection of his true intents.

Do we even need to mention the Moon to Moon conjunction, with its obvious emotional empathy, or Palin’s possible Midheaven conjunct McCain’s Jupiter, suggesting she may see him as a fame and career booster rocket? No, we probably don’t need to point this out; even without a chart, certain things are there for all to see. And the way that her Venus, ruled by Mars, is conjunct her Sun, and his Mars, ruler of his 7th of partners, is widely opposed her Sun, implying a sympathy that may confuse the values/ identity issue for McCain–he’ll be so sure she shares much of his Purpose and intent, right up to the moment he realizes how radically different they truly are at core.

And check out this view of Palin et al  http://www.uranias9thhouse.com/blog/ or this very intriguing prediction here http://astrologymundo.wordpress.com/  and see Palin’s past and destiny examined http://northnodeastrology.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarah-palins-astrology-chart-north-node.html