Astrological Precedents in Presidential Debates -- Part I: The First Televised Debate

An Astrological Look at the Debate of September 26, 1960

Kennedy and Nixon

Introduction

I had been having second thoughts about using astrology to look at the upcoming presidential debate chart between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. I wasn’t aware of anyone using Traditional Astrology techniques to forecast a winner using a debate chart. I decided to see if I could find my own precedent; I chose to take a look at what may be the most famous presidential debate in history. It was, at any rate, the first debate to be televised. Our country today is much like our country was in 1960. We find ourselves at a turning point where we are sharply divided about which direction to go, in a world that is quickly changing. Unlike 1960, our candidates are old, unpolished, cranky, bitter, and as unlike each other as they could possibly be. In contrast, Kennedy and Nixon seem oddly similar to each other glimpsed in the rearview mirror of history. Their similar natures are reflected in their natal charts. It is difficult to watch these two candidates debate without a feeling of longing and great loss. It was a more innocent time back then. Our innocence ended suddenly and tragically with the murder of President Kennedy, an event now forever etched into the soul of our country.

Richard M. Nixon

The ruling party is signified by the 10^th house and their leader is signified by the ruling planet. With Aquarius on the 10^th house cusp, Nixon is signified by Saturn. Saturn in the debate chart is at 11° Capricorn (fig.1).

The Saturn personality is characterized by someone who is patient, steadfast, responsible, and controlled. On the negative side they may be inhibited, mistrustful, and detached. Physical characteristics include someone of medium stature, a sallow complexion, broad forehead, large ears, and small dark eyes. Saturn usually indicates someone older and more mature. When Saturn is dignified the native may be found in administrative roles of great responsibility and taking little time off from their duties (1).

Nixon was born with his Sun in the sign of Capricorn. He also has four of his seven traditional planets in earth signs. True to his infamous nick-name of “Tricky Dick” he was born with Virgo on the ascendant making the Trickster Mercury the ruler of his nativity. During WWII he was a military commander. At the time of the debate he was vice-president of the United States.

On the election chart, the fixed star Nunki is located at 5˙ of arc from Saturn (fig. 1). Nunki is located on the vane of the arrow of the Archer in the Sagittarius constellation; it is a fortunate and ambitious blue dwarf star that plays to win in matters of business, state and foreign affairs. Nunki seeks success, but this success comes at a price. When Saturn is conjunct Nunki, it shows a thoughtful, reserved, self-centered person, with success delayed until after the age of 50. Their ambition may be thwarted by enemies resulting in disgrace. Nunki rules below the left knee (2) (3).

Figure 1. Saturn and Sun with Nunki and Zaniah

John F. Kennedy

The Democrats, as challengers to the ruling party, are represented by the 4^th house and its ruling planet. With Leo on the 4^th house cusp, Kennedy is signified by the Sun at 3° Libra.

The Sun as significator shows a person who is strong, vital, and full of energy. The body is average to large. The hair is full, light and lustrous. The forehead is large and the eyes expressive. The Sun represents someone in the prime of their life, usually in the age range of 21-42. The Sun represents all those who are in positions of command (1).

Kennedy was born with Libra rising on his ascendant and his natal Sun in Gemini. During WWII, Kennedy was a PT boat commander and earned two medals for heroism. He was born into one of America’s wealthiest family dynasties and was a U.S. senator at the time of the debate.

On the election chart the fixed star Zaniah is located 1˙ of arc from the Sun (fig. 1). Located at the southern wing of the Virgo constellation, it is of the nature of Mercury and Venus; bestowing refinement, honor, congeniality, social success, visionary abilities, and a talent for negotiating peace (3).

In 1960, Kennedy was 43 years old and Nixon 47. Though they were close in age, Nixon appeared much older and more statesmanlike. He contrasted strongly to Kennedy’s rugged good looks and easy charisma. The two candidates separately epitomized the Sun and Saturn archetypes in striking fashion.

Nixon was born in 1913 and Kennedy in 1917. In between these years both Pluto and Neptune changed their signs; Pluto went into the sign of Cancer and Neptune moved into Leo. These outer “modern” planets change their sign every 15-20 years and are often seen as generational markers. Kennedy must have been channeling the Leo energy from Neptune that allowed him to act as the representative new face of a generation ready for change. Neptune is the only planet on Kennedy’s natal chart that is in a fire sign.

Though the two candidates were very different, they also had some striking similarities. Kennedy was 6’ 0” and Nixon 5’ 11”. Both men had, in their natal charts, four of the seven traditional planets in earth signs. Within both their charts, three of these earth sign planets comprise nearly identical stelliums consisting of the same four planets, in the exact same order of Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and Sun. The main difference, in the two stelliums, is that three of Kennedy’s planets are in Taurus while Nixon has three in Capricorn (fig. 2).

Figure 2. Nixon and JFK’s stelliums

The Debate

In 1960 the United States found itself at a turning point. The Russians had just launched Sputnik and Fidel Castro’s communist regime had taken over Cuba. The American people were feeling that their security was being threatened like never before.

Leading up to the debate, Nixon was slightly ahead of Kennedy in the polls. In August Nixon suffered two setbacks. President Eisenhower had been asked what contributions Nixon had made to his administration; Eisenhower, fatigued at the time, replied “If you give me a week, I might think of one. I don’t remember.” The Democrats took his answer out of context and used it against Nixon in television commercials. Also in August, Nixon bashed his left knee on a car door while campaigning in North Carolina. He developed an infection that left him hospitalized for two weeks. On the night of the debate and after a full day of campaigning, Nixon still recuperating and running a low fever, stepped out of his car and banged his bad knee again exacerbating his recent injury. Meanwhile Kennedy had spent the weekend in his hotel resting and preparing for the big night with the help of his aides (4).

People who listened to the debate on the radio felt the candidates had tied. In contrast, a majority of those who watched the debate on television chose Kennedy as the winner. It was claimed that Nixon was visibly sweating under the bright studio lights, emphasizing his lack of make-up and five o-clock shadow. It was also said that he addressed many of the questions by looking to the reporters at his side with shifty glances that did not present well on the television screen. Nixon did not engage the TV cameras with the commanding presence that Kennedy had. When it came to substance the two candidates were remarkably similar and did little to substantially distance themselves from each other.

The candidates went on to debate each other three more times during the following month. Kennedy went on to win the election with a small margin in the popular vote 49.7 to 49.5%. More than half of all voters who were polled said that the debates had influenced their decision of who to vote for.

The Astrology

Nixon is represented by Saturn in Capricorn. While Saturn is strong and at home in the sign of Capricorn, one of its two domiciles, it also finds itself in the 8^th malefic house of anxiety, loss, and death. This is a fitting description of an accomplished statesman and vice-president who is enduring a recent humiliation and recuperating from a health crisis.

Kennedy is represented by the Sun in Libra. Libra is the sign of the Sun’s fall. When a planet is in the sign of its fall it can indicate someone who thinks overly high of themselves, or it might be someone who has not earned the status that has been bestowed upon them. A planet in fall can also be more literally be seen to describe someone who will “fall” from their elevated position. These are all rather intriguing interpretations given the hindsight of history.

While the Sun is not comfortable in the sign of Libra, he is, in this chart, placed in the benefic fifth house of diplomats, ambassadors, and agents who negotiate agreements. Also represented by the 5th house is the educational system and public places of enjoyment such as parks and national art museums (1). This is an apt house position for Kennedy who had made concerns of social justice central to his campaign. Teachers’ salaries, and the building of schools were other important planks of his time in Congress.

Figure 3.

Both Saturn and the Sun are in aspect to Mars in the second house of the nation’s assets (fig. 3). This may represent the country’s concern for its position in the world at the height of the Cold War. During the debate, the two candidates spent time discussing the problem of properly managing agricultural and hydro-electric infrastructure within a balanced budget. Mars is in a tight square,1° orb, to Kennedy’s Sun showing an acute challenge for Kennedy who had less experience than Nixon in international affairs. In contrast, Mars is in a wide 9° orb opposition to Nixon’s Saturn. The issue here shows itself as less acute and is rather more broadly an indictment to the Republican administration’s record over the past eight years. Nixon might have fared better by putting more distance between himself and the current administration.

The Sun has no other afflictions in this chart. On the other hand Saturn makes a sextile to Neptune and a trine to Pluto. Neptune brings in themes of diffusion and uncertainty; Pluto brings obsession, mistrust, and power struggles. The theme of a fresh face not tied to a past record is, once again, hinted at here.

Finally, the Sun and Saturn aspect each other by square in a 7° orb. The Sun approaches Saturn the slower planet; the Sun is in the sign of Libra, Saturn’s exaltation. Saturn receives the Sun. In Traditional Astrology, when one planet receives another it grants a favor to that planet. Saturn here is granting the favor to the Sun. The Sun would seem to show Saturn what it wants by making a close trine to the cusp of the 10^th house of rulers and kings. And so, Kennedy goes down in history as the winner of the first ever televised debate. A precedent that may have won him the election the following November. When Kennedy became president, he was the youngest man ever elected to the Oval office; he was also the first Catholic to become commander-in-chief of the United States.

Nixon went on to win the presidency in 1968 at the age of 55; he was reelected in 1972. Nixon resigned from the presidency, in 1974, after being threatened with impeachment for attempting to cover-up the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate building in Washington D.C.

1. Deborah Houlding, STA, v.3 (2021).

2. The Fixed Star Health and Behavior Imbalance, Ted George and Barbara Parker, 1985, p.124.

3. Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, Vivian E. Robson, 1923, p.218.

4. Richard Nixon's Knee and Its Impact on History

The 1960 Debate Chart

Nixon’s natal chart

Kennedy’s natal chart