An Astrological
Look at Watergate &
President Richard
Nixon's Downfall
The Previous Transit
of Saturn in Gemini
and Cancer
Published in NCGR
Geocosmic Journal,
Spring 2004
Saturn is the
taskmaster of the
Zodiac. It
represents duty,
responsibility,
discipline,
structure, and
order, as well as
restriction,
limitation,
inhibition, and
delay. Saturn
transits give one
what one
deserves—one way or
the other. A person
may be promoted or
fired, depending
upon his or her
actions. Simply
put, if a person is
doing something that
is illegal or
untoward, Saturn
transits are when
that person gets
caught.
Saturn has been in
Gemini and Cancer
since President
George W. Bush took
office. The last
time Saturn
transited these
signs was during the
presidency of
Richard Nixon.
Richard Nixon began
his second term in
office in January,
1973, winning a
landslide victory
against the
Democratic nominee,
George McGovern.
Massachusetts was
the only state in
the union to vote
for McGovern. Yet,
by August, 1974,
Nixon resigned in
the midst of the
Watergate scandal.
The events that took
place read like a
melodrama in a badly
written spy novel.
An examination of
Nixon's chart, and
the US chart show
what happened
astrologically. As
no one transit takes
place by itself, all
major transits to
Nixon and the US
chart are examined.
The Sun in a country
chart represents its
president.
Richard Nixon was
born January 9, 1913
at 9:35 PM,
Fullerton Township,
CA. The chart used
for the US is July
4, 1776, 2:17 AM,
Philadelphia, PA.
In the late 1960s
and early 1970s the
US was engaged in
the Vietnam War.
The country was
deeply divided.
Antiwar rallies were
commonplace. Draft
evaders flocked to
Canada. Nixon did
not start the war.
He inherited it from
former President
Lyndon Johnson. But
in an attempt to
win, Nixon expanded
the scope of the
war. Politics at
home became more
contentious, and
supposedly secret
information found
its way into the
press.
The following chain
of events that
occurred both before
and after Nixon's
1972 election led to
his downfall. In
1971 Nixon created a
Special
Investigation Unit
to find out who was
leaking news to the
press about the
Vietnam War. This
unit became known as
the plumbers. Their
intelligence
operations ranged
from wiretaps
without court
approval to the
break-in at Dr.
Daniel Ellsberg's
psychiatrist's
office. Ellsberg
was the person who
leaked the Pentagon
Papers.
Also in 1971 the
Committee to Reelect
the President (CRP)
told Nixon's Chief
of Staff, H. R.
Halderman, that they
needed to collect
political
intelligence for the
coming election. In
1972 political
espionage plans
involved U.S.
Attorney General
John Mitchell, John
Dean counsel to the
President, Jeb
Magruder, deputy
director of CRP and
G. Gordon Liddy,
counsel to the
Finance Committee to
the CRP.
The liking for
covert operations
and the obsessive
need for control can
easily be seen in
Nixon's chart. Pluto
is the most elevated
planet in his
chart. It falls in
the Tenth House and
opposes a stellium
of Mars in
Sagittarius conjunct
Mercury and Jupiter
in early Capricorn
in the Fourth
House. This is a
particularly feisty,
warlike combination
of planets. Nixon
could be shrewd and
insightful as well
as paranoid and
combative.
What's not typically
noted is that Nixon
could also be quite
naïve. His
Capricorn Sun
opposes Neptune, and
Neptune rules the
Seventh House of
partnerships.
Despite his
paranoia, colleagues
could easily dupe
him. Interestingly
also, Mars is out of
bounds by
declination and
parallel the Fixed
Star Facies. Mars
out of bounds neatly
falls into the idea
of Mars having no
bounds. Facies is
characterized by
either being
ruthless or being
the victim. War and
strife characterized
Nixon's presidency.
He both attacked and
was attacked by
others.
At the time the
covert operations
were set up in 1971,
transiting Uranus
was conjunct the US
Saturn in Libra and
square to the US Sun
in Cancer. Using
the Gemini Rising
chart for the US,
transiting Saturn in
Taurus was square
the US Moon in
Aquarius. A lunar
eclipse in February
fell at 20 Leo –
Aquarius, also
conjunct the US
Moon. A solar
eclipse at 6 Pisces
was square the US
Uranus. A lunar
eclipse in August
conjoined the MC –
IC axis in the
Gemini Rising
chart. The
transiting Node was
conjunct the Moon
and the MC and solar
arc Saturn in Aries
formed a square to
the US Pluto in the
ninth house.
Very likely at this
time Nixon did not
have direct
knowledge about CRP
plans. Transiting
Uranus conjunct
Saturn and square
the Sun in the US
chart shows a likely
breakdown of
authority—a rogue
operation that ran
wild. Transiting
Saturn square the US
Moon depicts a
melancholy people.
The country was torn
apart by the War.
This war was
different from World
Wars I and II where
there was no moral
ambiguity. People
were sad, angry, and
contentious as some
supported the War
and others fought
against it. The
solar arc square of
Saturn to Pluto
reinforces covert
operations involving
foreign affairs as
well as power
struggles in
politics.
The Watergate arrest
that led to Nixon's
downfall occurred on
June 17, 1972.
Police arrested five
men at Democratic
National Committee
Headquarters who
were caught
adjusting bugging
devices that they
had installed in
May. One of the men
arrested, James
McCord, provided the
link back to Nixon's
staff. McCord was
the security
coordinator for the
CRP.
At the time of the
arrest, transiting
Pluto was forming a
station in Virgo.
The station was
square to President
Nixon's Tenth House
Pluto. Transiting
Uranus also turned
stationary direct
conjunct the US
Saturn and square
the US Sun, another
blow to authority.
Transiting Jupiter
was in Capricorn in
the eighth house of
the Gemini Rising US
chart and opposite
Venus and Jupiter in
Cancer. Again, the
link to finances.
Investigative
reporters Bob
Woodward and Carl
Bernstein in part
cracked the
conspiracy by
following the
money.
Jeb Magruder, the
Deputy Director of
CRP eventually
admitted that he
covered up CRP
involvement in the
break-in. He
testified that John
Mitchell, who was
the head of the CRP,
gave the order.
Mitchell denied it
and investigators
were never able to
determine who was
telling the truth.
Upon learning of
Mitchell's possible
link to the
break-in, Nixon
instructed his Chief
of Staff, H.R.
Halderman, to stop
an FBI inquiry by
claiming that the
investigation would
endanger CIA
operations.
Mitchell left the
CRP. On August 29,
1972, Nixon declared
that no one who was
then in the
administration was
involved in
Watergate. The
money that paid for
the break-in could
be traced to the
CRP, but it was
impossible to
implicate high
officials.
In July 1972,
transiting Saturn
entered Nixon's
Tenth House. An
eclipse occurred on
July 10 at 18 Cancer
opposing Nixon's Sun
and 19 Capricorn.
The lunar eclipse at
3 Aquarius conjoined
Nixon's Uranus.
Transiting Jupiter
was Retrograde in
Capricorn. During
July and August, it
conjoined Nixon's
Jupiter, Mercury,
and Mars, and
opposed his Pluto.
Transiting Neptune
was square Venus in
Pisces. Transiting
Pluto was in the
twelfth house square
natal Mars.
Nixon was
controversial but
still immensely
popular. These
planetary
combinations set up
the possibility for
future problems.
It's very likely
that Nixon never
knew about Watergate
ahead of time, but
whether he approved
it or not, he would
be held
responsible. Saturn
at the MC can be the
height of one's
career or one's
downfall.
Eclipses can portend
a downfall; i.e.,
the person becomes
eclipsed. Uranus,
ruling Nixon's sixth
house, brings in
subordinates. With
Venus in Pisces in
the sixth house,
Nixon actually had a
soft spot for the
people who worked
for him. He could
be kind to
underlings. The
transiting square of
Neptune to Venus
indicates the
possibility of Nixon
being duped by
subordinates.
Transiting Pluto in
the Twelfth House of
hidden enemies and
square to Mars,
ruler of the Eighth
House of other
people's money,
brings secret
activities and
campaign finances
into the conflict.
Riding high in
popularity, in
January, 1973, with
transiting Jupiter
and a solar eclipse
conjoining the Sun,
Nixon began his
second term as
President. Jupiter
transits are a time
of expansion and
well being. That
same month, the five
men arrested in the
break-in and J.
Gordon Liddy and E.
Howard Hunt, were
tried in U. S.
District Court in
Washington D.C.
Five pleaded
guilty. McCord and
Liddy were convicted
of conspiracy,
burglary, and
illegal
wiretapping.
Transiting Pluto
turned stationary
retrograde in
January. Uranus
also turned
stationary
retrograde. These
same planets had
stationed at the
time of the arrest.
Uranus represents,
among other things,
freedom,
independence,
autonomy, and
revolution. Pluto
represents, among
other things, covert
operations, joint
finances, and power
struggles.
Transiting Saturn
was in Gemini trine
to natal Saturn and
the MC in the Gemini
Rising US chart.
Progressed Saturn
was also sextile the
MC. Nixon was not
yet involved.
However with
progressed Mercury
in Aquarius conjunct
the progressed US
South Node in
January, the
progressed Sun
conjunct the natal
South Node in
February, and
progressed Mars
square the US Sun in
February, Nixon
didn't have much
time left.
Based on suspicions
of political
espionage, the
Senate began
conducting an
investigation.
During the Senate's
hearings on the
nomination of L.
Patrick Gray to be
permanent FBI
director, he
revealed that he had
given FBI Watergate
files to Dean and
suggested that other
White House aides
were involved in
underhanded
activities. Dean
did his best to
cover this up.
$75,000 in hush
money was paid to
Halderman. Publicly
Nixon stated he had
begun a new
investigation. What
he did in private
was another matter.
In cooperating with
investigators to
avoid a severe
sentence, McCord
implicated Dean and
Magruder. Dean and
Magruder in turn
implicated others at
the White House and
CRP. Investigators
were told Mitchell
approved the
break-in. On April
30, the resignations
of Dean, Ehrlichman,
and Halderman were
announced.
A special
prosecutor's office,
headed by Archibald
Cox, set up public
hearings in May,
1973. Halderman,
Ehrlichman, and
Mitchell denied any
wrongdoing, but
Dean's testimony
linked Nixon to the
cover-up. Then in
July, 1973, it was
discovered that
Nixon had taped
conversations in his
office. Cox
subpoenaed the
records related to
the investigation.
Nixon refused to
release them and had
Cox fired in
October, 1973.
Nixon denied taping
some conversations.
Transiting Saturn
made its final
conjunction to
Nixon's Midheaven
and square to his
Ascendant in April,
1973. Saturn formed
a contra parallel to
his Sun in May,
1973, conjoined
Pluto and opposed
Mars in July, and
opposed Mercury and
Jupiter in August.
Saturn transits hold
one accountable.
Transits to the MC
bring recognition,
whether that
recognition is
positive or
negative. If a
person is engaging
in illegal or
immoral activity,
this is a timeframe
of getting caught in
a public manner.
Power struggles with
those in authority
or in order to keep
authority are
consistent with all
these
aspects.
Transiting Uranus
squared Nixon's Sun
in May, 1973. It
stationed in June,
1973, still within
orb of the square to
the Sun. The final
exact square
occurred in July,
1973. Having Saturn
and Uranus aspects
simultaneously can
be very unpleasant.
Saturn represents
restriction; the
need to
consolidate. Uranus
represents freedom,
the desire to break
through. By all
accounts, likely,
Nixon's behavior
became erratic and
unpredictable at
this time.
The simultaneous
squares from Chiron
to Nixon's Sun in
May and September
did not help
matters. Transiting
Chiron and Uranus
were in opposition
to one another.
Chiron was
transiting the
eighth house of
joint resources,
which were part of
the trouble to begin
with.
Transiting Pluto
turned Stationary
Direct in June, 1973
square to Nixon's
Jupiter, which
conjoins Mercury and
Mars and opposed
Pluto in his natal
chart. Pluto
transits heightened
the anger and the
sense of being out
of control. Since
Pluto was transiting
the first house, in
all likelihood,
Nixon's own actions
made situations
worse, and
situations became
more and more out of
control.
Between June and
December, 1973, the
following aspects
occurred in the US
chart. The
progressed Sun
conjoined Pluto and
progressed Pluto in
the US chart,
transiting Saturn
squared Neptune,
solar arc Mars
opposed Jupiter, and
Chiron returned to
its own placement.
Pluto squared to
Venus and was
sessiquadrate the
Moon. Saturn
conjoined Venus and
was sessiquadrate
the Moon. The Node
opposed Jupiter and
Venus. Uranus
squared Mercury.
The progressed Sun
in the US chart
coming to the
conjunction of Pluto
portends the
possibility of a
leader's fall from
power. This is an
aspect that will
occur during only
one timeframe in 360
years. Saturn's
square to Neptune
symbolizes
deceptions being
revealed. SA Mars'
opposition to Venus
is another aspect
that only occurs
once in 360 years.
Venus' rulership of
the Sixth House of
employees in the US
chart once again
brings in the role
of subordinates.
This aspect and
those of Pluto and
Saturn to the Moon
and Venus show the
combative political
climate and wounds
dividing the
country.
Court battles
continued in 1974.
On July 24, 1974,
the Supreme Court in
an 8-0 vote rejected
Nixon's claim that
as President he had
authority to
withhold material
from the prosecutor
and order him to
deliver the tapes in
accordance with the
subpoena. Before
the end of July, the
House approved three
articles of
impeachment. On
August 9, Nixon
resigned.
In January, 1974,
transiting Saturn
conjoined Nixon's
Pluto in Gemini in
the Tenth House of
career and public
standing. It
stationed in
February, within orb
of a conjunction to
Pluto, and exactly
conjoined Pluto
again in March.
Saturn then moved
forward to oppose
Mars in Sagittarius
and Mercury in
Capricorn in April,
and Jupiter in
Capricorn in May,
and formed a
semi-square to its
natal placement and
was contra parallel
the Sun in August.
Saturn transits give
one what one earns,
one way or the
other. The Tenth
House is a public
placement. This
means planets there
are visible. People
know what you are
doing. It's the
wrong time for
covert operations.
The negative side of
Saturn can be fear.
As a Capricorn,
Nixon longed to be
looked up to and
admired. As Saturn
moved forward, fear
of public scrutiny
as well as the
desire for control
drove his actions.
Nixon's solar arc
Sun formed a
semi-square to
Uranus in January,
1974. Chiron formed
a square to the Sun
in March. Secondary
progressed Pluto
formed a semi-square
to Nixon's
progressed MC in
May. Uranus squared
Neptune in May,
turned stationary
direct in July, and
squared Neptune
again in August.
Nixon's natal Pluto
turned stationary
direct by secondary
progression in
August. The Uranus
influence reinforces
erratic behavior
once again.
Chiron's influence
reflects the wound
Nixon was likely to
feel based on the
whole affair.
At the time of
Nixon's resignation,
transiting Saturn
conjoined the US Sun
and squared Saturn.
Once again, Saturn
is the planet that
gives one what he
deserves—one way or
the other. The
President, as
symbolized by the
Sun in the country
chart, had been
caught red handed
and would pay the
price.
No one transit can
bring down a
president or any
person. The natal
set up of a fall
from power has to
exist in the birth
chart. Natal Pluto
in the Tenth House
brings to mind the
saying, "Power
corrupts, and
absolute power
corrupts
absolutely."
Nixon's downfall
began from his
suspicious nature
and his need for
total control.
Despite the
divisiveness in the
country, he had won
an election by a
popular majority.
There had been no
need for
skullduggery in
Democratic
headquarters. No
one will ever know
whether Nixon's
efforts to protect
his underlings were
inspired by loyalty
or self-interest,
but in the end, his
own actions did him
in.
Joyce
Levine is a
full-time
professional
consulting
astrologer with 30
years experience.
She serves as a
catalyst for her
clients to overcome
astro/psychological
obstacles so that
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To discover how the
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