Understanding Joe Biden
The contrast between the style and personality of Joe Biden and Donald Trump could not be any different. Biden has Venus rising in a Scorpio stellium involving the Sun and Mercury. This configuration confers leadership ability in a fair and balanced manner. Biden is friendly, social, and gregarious. Mercury is ‘west of the Sun’ indicating that he has an inquisitive mind in search of new information and answers. His frequent gaffes are due to an impulsive, nervous urge to please and entertain others (Sun/Venus opposition Uranus) and not out of a lack of intelligence. On the contrary, Mercury is joined to the Sun and Venus , and is in trine with Jupiter, a superb aspect giving foresight, a broad view of issues, expertise, and the capability to be decisive. He is actually a strong and capable leader, well liked and admired, with a solid reputation for carrying out his bold ideas (Mercury trine Jupiter) in a well-crafted way that benefits as many people as possible (Venus).
The Moon separates from a wide square with Jupiter indicating that he may see himself as being a champion (Jupiter) of the people (Moon). This feature of his horoscope implies some excessiveness, pride in family, over-optimism at times, and capitalizing on opportunity (Jupiter) to help the public and his family (Moon). Biden has a rich and expansive imagination. His vision for the country is likely to be an expensive one.
The retrograde Jupiter in Biden’s chart shows wealth and influence delayed. He has only recently attained wealth and for decades served in Congress as one of the poorest members. Note Neptune near the Midheaven of career and public service – selfless sacrifice is denoted here. But he enjoys it that way (Venus sextile Neptune) and has done quite well for himself in an unpretentious way.
Joe Biden is a self-driven man. He likes his life style and gets along well with others. He is however not a ‘yes man’. He answers to his own conscientious as the rising planets show. His desire to be well-liked and a supporter/advisor to other leaders (Venus/Sun) only go so far since Uranus is descending in opposition to Venus and the Sun. Biden collaborated, for instance, with Bernie Sanders in designing his political platform but stopped short of accepting the most radical socialistic ideas. Biden will separate himself from the radical left as much as possible (Uranus descending). The extreme left faction of his party will disagree with his more sensible ideas and try to persuade him to be more radical. As if he wasn’t progressive enough: Venus is what we like and attract, in opposition with Uranus Joe likes breaking with convention, embracing innovative ideas and futurist (Uranus) idealism (Neptune). He is the perfect social critic, reformer and activist wanting to improve society.
As president (Sun) he would offer achievable progressive, new and stimulating plans (Uranus) that would alienate many Americans. Others would delight in his proposals for fair wages, work amenities, world trade and business proposals, and the re-establishment of foreign ties. Biden attracts talented and influential people (Venus trine Jupiter). He is a good deal maker willing to negotiate. But he faces obstacles and broken agreements or frequent disagreements with people (Venus opposition Uranus). Saturn and Uranus hug the Descendant describing friends and compatriots, as well as, enemies. That he would have Republican (Saturn) adversaries (Descendant) is understandable; the Uranus ties are the radical left that will try to sway him their way with only limited success. He will befriend them but in the end Biden will do as he feels is right.
The Ascendant is the self and the planets there attest to his resolve in fairness and sound judgement. A liberal he is (Moon/Jupiter; Mercury/Sun/Venus – Jupiter, Venus/Neptune) but not quite a socialist. He needs the youth vote, and he shall have it, without giving away his sense of fairness and balance.
Although Biden is attracted to progressive ideas and embraces many of them, he is compromising at heart and wants unity, not division. Therefore, he is likely to take a balanced approach to legislation. Saturn implies that Biden is friends with many career politicians with deep connections to the “swamp” (Saturn sextile Pluto). The theme of Saturn/Pluto is to break down old, dysfunctional systems and rebuild them in the extreme. This aspect hints at more practical, useful reforms but could – in the extreme – tear down traditions as well. As president he would have ample opportunity (sextile) to do this through legislation, executive order, and a Supreme Court nominee or two. Some of his Saturn colleagues would act as a break and try to restrict his impulsive instincts to be belligerent and aggressive (Mars square Pluto). This aspect is particularly troublesome as it indicates extreme anger when provoked. It is a mark of initiative and bold action – if not war.
Mars is in separating square with Pluto. This is the fighter. And the tragic side to his life. It is the crisis that keeps coming his way from karmic genes. But a leader must be willing to defend the nation and break free of any treaty or obligation that does us harm. He must be willing to distance himself from foreign and domestic enemies (Saturn and Uranus on Descendant). He must be decisive and strong. Based on Venus sextile Neptune his first choice is always for peace, agreement, and compromise, but he is capable of strong and stubborn action (Mars square Pluto) if necessary.
How far would Biden go in regulating our personal choices? The Scorpio stellium in trine with Jupiter suggests that his plans for the country would be mostly reasonable and that society would benefit from his leadership. The difficult square between Mars and Pluto – with the Moon almost at the midpoint between Jupiter/Pluto) – tells a different tale of expensive and controlling social programs. Moon/Jupiter/Pluto also indicates an ability to influence the masses through an appeal to the feelings, sentiments, and sympathies of human nature. If he can tap this, he will counter Trump’s fear mongering, belligerence, and put-downs that fire-up his base.
How does it look for Joe Biden in the 2020 election? Using my Diurnal Planet for a Year direction (DPY) to get an overview of his prospects we notice Jupiter governing his 77th year. In the year running up to the election Biden has consistently led in the polls by a substantial margin. The DPY method, besides assigning a planet in diurnal motion from the Sun for each year of life, also divides life into 9-year sections governed by a planet. Biden’s nine year phase from the age of 72 until 81 is the Moon. So his 77th year is a Jupiter year in a Moon nine; not a bad combo for running for president. November is his birth month and this adds difficulty to the equation. Biden’s 78th year is a Saturn year in a Moon nine. At first glance we could say that this is a failed bid for the presidency. The DPY direction technically shifts on the birthday but in reality transits are a better gauge in determining the end of one year and the start of another. The Jupiter transit peaking late in November means his Jupiter-year continues until after the election.
Biden is likely to make mistakes and blunder badly in late August through mid-September during Neptune’s retrograde transit over his lower culmination or nadir (IC or 4th house cusp) peaking 8/29. He would do well to keep a low profile at this time. The next hard angle aspect he experiences is a weekly Mars transit to his natal Jupiter peaking 9/30, a time of rising interest and optimism in his campaign. This is the last hard angle transit besides daily transits until the monthly transit of Jupiter opposite his natal Jupiter that influences all of November – peaking 11/25. This is a clear indication that his Jupiter year will continue until after the election. The lunar eclipse of 11/30 falls on his Saturn and that will trigger the beginning of his Saturn 78th year. His prospects based on the DPY and transits are, therefore, very good. But are they good enough to beat Trump? That is a question for Trump’s chart. [Please refer to U.S. Predictions for 2020 for an analysis of Trump’s chances for re-election.]