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Super Tuesday Post Mortem

At long last, some sanity! Joe Biden’s virtual sweep of the Super Tuesday primary contests on March 3rd was stunning to behold, coming from so far behind, and left most political pundits scratching their heads in wonder, scrambling for an explanation. But not here at AAA – we foresaw the likelihood of a Biden nomination last November, when that startling “victory stellium” appeared on the Ascendant of his Solar Return, portending a successful year. We’re not exactly tripping over Accurate Prediction Trophies here, so you’ll forgive me if I crow a bit, like Maurice the rooster.

Of course, we’re still a fair ways from the nomination, but things are looking up. Just days before, most were wondering if Biden could stanch the bloodletting from Sanders enough to hold the Vermont Senator to a lead of 150 delegates or less by Super Tuesday’s end. But with two states still undecided as of this writing (March 4), Biden has won 9 of 14 contests, Sanders just 3, and the former VP is now delegate leader by about 80. Biden had been coming in third or lower in the first three contests, until a huge win in South Carolina on February 29 propelled him into Super Tuesday with the political winds at his back, despite a lack of resources, infrastructure, or paid media. What caused the turnaround?

 

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The Super Tuesday map, with 1,344 delegates up for grabs; Joe Biden won 10 of 14 contests, every battle where his PNAs interacted with those representing the state in play

For one, the cosmic winds were at his back as well, with a heaven-sent setup, both in terms of activating his potential, and the states in play. That 2019 Solar Return stellium, with an exact Nike/Victoria pairing (named for the Greek and Roman goddesses of victory) at 2 Virgo, conjoined the SR (Solar Return) Moon at 1 Virgo and SR Ascendant at 4 Virgo (squared the SR and natal Suns as well as the natal Ascendant) was strongly emphasized by a T-Square from transit Mercury (ruling the vote) opposed at 0 Pisces, and transit asteroid Bida (closest match to “Biden”), squared from 3 Sagittarius, tying Biden and the electorate to his personal markers of success for the year. The “winning” emphasis continued with transit Victoria and Nike at 25 and 28 Leo, both squared Biden’s natal Sun at 27 Scorpio – he looked (SR Nike/Victoria conjunct Ascendant) and felt (SR Nike/Victoria conjunct Moon) like a winner, for the year in general (Solar Return aspects) and in the moment (transit squares).

 

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Joe Biden appears as stunned by his Super Tuesday victories as anyone, but he needn’t have been; with transit Mercury and asteroid Bida forming a T-Square with his Solar Return Nike/Victoria/Moon/Ascendant combination, he was a virtual shoo-in

Biden’s White House chances came into focus on Super Tuesday with the transit Sun at 13 Pisces opposed SR asteroid Whitehouse at 15 Virgo (conjoined the natal MC at 19 Virgo), forming a T-Square with natal asteroid Victoria at 19 Sagittarius.  And there’s another factor we haven’t considered – asteroid Josefa’s recent change of direction. At 2 Scorpio, Josefa turned retrograde on February 22, the very day of the Nevada Caucus, Biden’s nadir which cemented Sanders’ frontrunner status. Normally we think of retrogrades as times of retreat and retrenchment, and that’s valid, but in reality their basic message is simply “a change of direction,” for good or ill. If you’ve got forward momentum going into a retrograde, it will be blunted, but if things are going badly, they can also turn on a dime for the better, as was the case with Biden.

 

Biden was also exceptionally fortunate in the states holding primaries that day. Fully 6 of the 14 have exact asteroid matches for all or part of their names, with four others having exact matches for all or part of their capitals, allowing us to track the results with some certitude. And Biden’s PNAs (Personal-Named Asteroids) connected with every one of his wins.

 

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The mythical Phoenix, which is consumed by fire and is reborn from the ashes, might be Joe Biden’s totem animal, with natal asteroid Phoinix conjoined his Midheaven, Solar Return Phoinix at station on the Descendant, and Super Tuesday’s transit Phoinix exact with two state PNAs he won and exactly squared natal Nike

“Like a phoenix from the ashes” might be a good way to characterize Biden’s night, so it’s no surprise to find that his natal asteroid Phoinix (phonetic match for phoenix) conjoins Joe Biden’s 19 Virgo Midheaven within a degree, at 20 Virgo standing proudly in the Tenth House of career. This is symbolic of a dramatic rebirth, not just in career, but also in matters of status, reputation and place in the world. And not just now, but throughout the life; recall that in 2008 Biden had a career-ending fiasco in his campaign for president, only to be revived when Obama chose him as running mate.

 

Not only that, but Phoinix is stationary in the 2019 Solar Return! Conjoined the 4 Pisces Descendant from 11 Pisces, Phoinix also conjoins SR Neptune at 15 Pisces (fulfillment of a dream) and is exactly trine SR Mercury at 11 Scorpio, showing voters (Mercury) as the source of his resurrection (Phoinix and Mercury are sextile in the natal, encouraging that opportunity as well).

 

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Is that enthusiasm or catarrh? With Bernie Sanders it’s hard to tell sometimes, but celestially, his Super Tuesday was defined by asteroid Sanders conjunct Uranus, providing some unwelcome surprises, and asteroid Bernie squared Damocles, the doom hanging unseen overhead

And on Super Tuesday? Transit Phoinix at 29 Pisces is an exact match for transit asteroids Carolina and Oklahoma, representing two of Biden’s victories, with all three points exactly squared natal asteroid Nike at 29 Sagittarius (itself conjunct asteroid Josephina, feminine form of Joseph, at 24 Sag), and also tightly inconjunct transit Nike at 28 Leo. That’s a lot of “resurrection” and “winning” energy!

 

Biden was also shored up on Super Tuesday by transit asteroid Josephina at 19 Capricorn, conjoined politics-ruling, luck-bringing, expansive Jupiter at 20 Cap. With this combination, Biden seemingly could do no wrong. But his resurrection technically began three days earlier, at the South Carolina primary. At that time asteroids Carolina and Phoinix were conjoined a degree earlier, at 28 Pisces, so the resurgence promised then by asteroid Carolina when representing South Carolina was fulfilled when it switched its identity affiliation to North Carolina on Super Tuesday.

 

Crucial to that first victory was South Carolina Representative and House Majority Whip James Clyburn, whose endorsement just three days prior reclaimed the wavering African American vote for Biden, not only in that state, but across the south, where the former VP consistently took 60% or more of that constituency.   Asteroid James in Biden’s natal chart falls at 9 Capricorn, at the Apex of a Yod, or Finger of Destiny, with inconjunct aspects to natal Saturn (career) at 9 Gemini and Pluto (personal power) at 7 Leo. By the time of the endorsement, transit Mars had come to conjoin natal James, pumping large amounts of energy into the campaign via Clyburn’s intercession, and activating the natal potential for his vital, fated (Yod) role in regenerating (Pluto) Biden’s presidential bid (Saturn).

 

But the connections don’t stop there. Carolina and Oklahoma are also trine to transit Bida at 3 Sagittarius, which is itself exactly on Biden’s natal Ascendant; it was as if people were seeing Joe for the first time. Bida’s square to a retrograde Mercury at 0 Pisces brought out the vote, as people reconsidered (retro Merc) their voting options (Mercury again), with record turnout in many states. One of these was Virginia, which went for Biden by some thirty points, with asteroid Virginia at 1 Sagittarius closely conjoined Bida. More broadly conjunct was asteroid Massachusetts at 13 Sag, a state which Biden won despite being opposed on the ballot by Elizabeth Warren, that state’s senator (whose state delegate total Biden doubled), and Bernie Sanders, from neighboring Vermont.

 

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Waving farewell? After a half billion dollar investment, in most Super Tuesday States, Michael Bloomberg failed to reach the 15% vote threshold required to garner delegates, and he withdrew from the race a day later; his slide began at the debates, just after asteroid Michela turned retrograde

Other victories included Minnesota, a Sanders stronghold in 2016; with Bida opposing asteroid Paul, for state capital St. Paul, at 8 Gemini, Biden rook the state by almost a ten point margin. He gained a crucial assist the day before Super Tuesday, when rival presidential candidate Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar withdrew from the race and threw her support to Biden, with asteroid Amy conjoined Josephina from 20 Capricorn establishing her as a new ally. Biden also won Tennessee and Arkansas, with no celestial referents (Bernie scooped up the other two cosmic no-shows, Utah and Vermont), and Alabama, with asteroid Montgomery, for its capital, opposing Josephina from 15 Aries.

 

Sanders also won Colorado, with asteroid Bernie at 26 Scorpio closely conjoined asteroid Denversmith, for Colorado’s capital of Denver, at 25 Scorpio, in square to that transit Victoria/Nike conjunction at 25 and 28 Leo. But there’s a caveat here, for Bernie also exactly squares Damocles, that doom hanging unseen overhead, at 26 Aquarius, and that’s surely descriptive of the day Sanders had, with that “Sword of Biden” unexpectedly descending.

 

Maine is currently too close to call, with Biden less than a point ahead; at 4 Aquarius, asteroid Augusta (the state’s capital) has divided loyalties, squared asteroid Josefa at 2 Scorpio while also sextile Bida at 3 Sagittarius, and squared Sanders at 1 Taurus. The T-Square tug-of-war between them is nicely balanced, confirming their battle to parity in the Pine Tree State, but the one-two punch of Josefa and Bida should enable Biden to eke out a narrow victory when all is said and done. [Author’s Note: Biden’s victory here was confirmed just moments before posting.]

 

That Taurean placement for Sanders may help explain his poor showing on a day when he was expected to potentially lock up the Democratic nomination. It conjoins Uranus at 3 Taurus, exemplifying the unexpected outcome, the shock to his campaign, and the volatility of the electorate, who had been moving his way for months, all in one.

 

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Former rivals Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar both withdrew from the race the day before Super Tuesday, and endorsed Joe Biden; asteroid Amy conjoined Josephina and Jupiter helped propel Biden over the top in Klobuchar’s home state of Minnesota, while asteroid Peter in broad square shows Buttigieg’s realignment

Perhaps most unexpected was the result in Texas, where Sanders was heavily favored in polling as recently as the prior weekend. Biden’s capture of the state by less than 4 points may be illustrated in a Kite pattern active that day, based in a Grand Trine from Josephina/Jupiter at 19 and 20 Cap to asteroid Texas at 20 Taurus and asteroid Nemesis at 20 Virgo, with asteroid Bernie at the Kite’s “string”, opposed Texas from 26 Scorpio. This shows a political (Jupiter) undoing or downfall (Nemesis) involving Biden (Josephina) and the Lone Star State (Texas), focused on Sanders (Bernie).

 

Still too early to call is delegate-rich, ultra-progressive California, which may take days to finalize their result. Sanders was again heavily favored, and with about 50% of the vote accounted for, maintains a strong lead. But asteroid California at 18 Aries is closely squared Josephina/Jupiter at 19 and 20 Capricorn, with no connections to asteroids Bernie or Sanders. If Super Tuesday’s pattern holds, Biden may take the state, or lose by a much narrower margin than anticipated.

 

Pete Buttigieg, who started the primary season so fortuitously, winning Iowa and coming in a close second in New Hampshire, also withdrew and endorsed Biden, after disappointing finishes in Nevada and South Carolina. In my earlier article on the Primary season kick-off, I opined that, with asteroid Peter turning retrograde the day after the New Hampshire primary, that might be his campaign’s high water mark, and so it proved.

 

Elizabeth Warren’s PNAs had started the season in retrograde, a change in direction which coincided with her precipitate drop in the polls in November, and despite asteroid Elisabetha turning direct on February 23rd,with Warren still retro until March 7th, she wasn’t able to regain momentum by Super Tuesday. She finished third in her home state of Massachusetts and fourth in her birth state of Oklahoma, a bleak and embarrassing showing, but remains in the fight for now.

 

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“Now just hold on there!” After coming in third in her home state and fourth in her birth state, Elizabeth Warren needs to give some serious thought to withdrawing, with asteroids Elisabetha and Warren both at station, symbolizing a “change in direction”

Billionaire Tom Steyer also bowed out after South Carolina, with not a single delegate to show for his $253 million investment. With asteroid Steyaert at 26 Aries in square to the Saturn/Pluto conjunction at 28 and 24 Capricorn, it was perhaps time to go.

 

And what of Michael “Can’t Buy Me Love” Bloomberg? After nearly half a billion in ads, and a steady rise in the polls for months, Bloomberg’s chances were torpedoed by two dismal back-to-back debate performances on February 19th and 25th, just after asteroid Michela turned retrograde on the 15th. Asteroid Bloomsburg at 9 Aquarius on Super Tuesday was no help, isolated and unconnected except for a square to Uranus, and he, too, withdrew from the contest the day after. Bloomberg outspent the Biden campaign by nearly 100 to 1 (with $198 million invested in Super Tuesday, to Biden’s $2.1 million), but came away from most states without even reaching the 15% vote total threshold necessary to acquire delegates. But he did win American Samoa.

 

What’s next on the horizon? On “Mini Tuesday”, March 10th, Hawaii, Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota and Washington weigh in, with Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio a week later, and Georgia rounding out the month on March 24th. Six of these twelve have exact or close matches for state names, another two have matches for their capitals. But that’s a tale for another day…

 

Alex Miller is a professional writer and astrologer, author of The Black Hole Book, detailing deep space points in astrological interpretation, and the forthcoming Heaven on Earth, a comprehensive study of asteroids, both mythic and personal. Alex is a frequent contributor to “The Mountain Astrologer”, “Daykeeper Journal”, and NCGR’s Journals and “Enews Commentary”; his work has also appeared in “Aspects” magazine, “Dell Horoscope”, “Planetwaves”, “Neptune Café” and “Sasstrology.” He is a past president of Philadelphia Astrological Society, and a former board member for the Philadelphia Chapter of NCGR.

3 comments, add yours.

Alexa

HI Alex,
Great explanation of the Phoinix and Nike-fueled victory for Biden, so far.
That momentum really came out of nowhere for most people, but you were in on it!

I could also see the importance of his natal asteroid James conjoining transit Mars. Going forward, he will continue to require a fighter energy. I remember Biden saying if they were back in school, he would take Trump behind the school yard and give him a beating. Do you see further asteroids working with Mars to fight off future attacks?

    Alex Miller

    Author

    thanks, Alexa!

    as to your question, with so many asteroids, it’s a little difficult to pin down when help might arrive. but Biden’s Mars can take care of itself – it squares Pluto natally, and this year’s solar return Mercury conjoins it; he can fight his own battles.

Chris Romero

Wonderful analysis. As a Biden supporter (I’ve already voted early for him here in Florida), I was very pleased with all of his major victories this past Tuesday.

I was concerned about Biden’s chances before South Carolina because I saw (what appeared to be) many challenging aspects in his chart….especially that transiting Neptune opposing his Midheaven. However, since I don’t know anything about how asteroids work in astrology…reading this analysis gives more understanding to Biden’s amazing comeback and resilience to the challenges he’s had to face.

I’m looking forward to how things play out this coming Tuesday (March 10).

Just a quick note: Hawaiʻi (which is actually my birth state) will actually be having their primary (no longer a caucus state) on Saturday, April 04, 2020….but early mail in voting may have already started there (not sure)

The contests for this coming Tuesday (March 10) will be: Democrats Abroad, Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, and Washington State.

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