Splitting of the Golden Couple

We were all shocked recently when we found out that the Gores were calling it quits after a long and seemingly happy marriage. Thankfully, we have the exact birth data for both of them, so an analysis is possible. Al Gore was born on March 31, 1948 at 12:53 pm in Washington DC and Tipper on August 19, 1948 at 2:40 am in the same city.

Before looking at the composite, let’s examine each one separately. If we had been watching their charts, this would not have been a surprise. The marriage had been having some problems for at least six years. Tipper has an exact Sun-Saturn conjunction at 26 Leo—only one minute of orb. It opposes her Moon at 21 Aquarius, and that axis has been experiencing a Neptune transit since 2006 when we allow a degree or two applying. We begin to feel an outer planet transit a couple of degrees before it is exact. Some people allow five degrees, but I think that may be pushing it. Neptune rules her MC, her status in life. The Sun rules the second and third (by Koch houses) and Saturn rules her seventh. She had been indecisive about the marriage for several years. Now, her secondary progressed ascendant is only 10 minutes from conjoining her natal Saturn-Sun. She is not a happy person about her marriage. Further, progressed Saturn is conjoining her natal Mercury—sadness and depression.

Six and a half years ago, the Saturn-Sun conjunction had moved by solar arc to conjoin her Mars, which natally is 20:06 Libra. She was very angry about something connected to the marriage and very likely concerning money, status or communications. The same rulerships are in play because Mars is the intercepted ruler of the tenth house. The MC is the cusp of that house (for those of you who don’t know). At the same time, solar arc Pluto was square her ascendant, which is part of the relationship axis. When Pluto squares that, a relationship is under stress. About 10 to 11 months ago solar arc Mars was square her natal MC and 18 months ago conjoining her Jupiter. She was having a lesson about her need for financial security and prestige. There is more, but those are the main indicators.

Tipper projects a charming and motherly image with Venus rising in Cancer. But, that part of her chart is square Neptune, and in reality, she feels like a victim much of the time and sacrifices a great deal to satisfy a need to be proud of her station in life. People who have Sun conjunct Saturn usually feel they have worked very hard without being given things in life unless she earned it. She would persevere through a great deal to keep what she may have worked very hard to achieve.

Al Gore, for some reason, had a very upset and angry wife about five years ago when solar arc Uranus conjoined his natal Mars, but that was just the last of six prior years when one thing after another was cascading in the marriage. Uranus, which rules his seventh house, had previously conjoined his Pluto and Saturn. He has Leo rising (hence being attracted to a Leo woman) and the stellium, Pluto, Saturn and Mars, in his first house. Uranus by solar arc slowly moved over them for at least five and a half years before separating from it almost five years ago. He probably thought the storm was over. However, his Moon occupies 3 degrees of Capricorn (and conjunct Jupiter in the fifth) and recently Pluto transited his Moon while Saturn was square. The Moon in a man’s chart represents habit patterns, home life and women in his life, including wife and mother. In the last couple weeks the progressed Moon set this off forming a square from 3 degrees Aries. His solar arc MC (status, career, etc.) is now conjoining natal Uranus—a sudden surprise from his wife (Uranus rules the seventh, remember) that has left him a bit confused. Progress Venus (ruler of intercepted tenth) is square natal Neptune. However, the progressed Sun is trine natal Uranus, but don’t jump to conclusions! In his natal chart the Sun opposes Neptune, so the trine is diluted and may operate like an opposition. I think he probably considered himself free a year ago when solar arc Uranus was trine his MC. That is often a move, since it is sextile the fourth cusp, and a quick one, at that.

Between the two natal charts there are issues. Tipper’s Ascendant-Venus conjunction is very tightly square her own Neptune which in turn is forming a T-Square with Al’s Sun. She may have felt as though she were a victim in the relationship, sacrificing her own ego needs for the sake of his career. Tipper has Pisces on the MC, ruled by Neptune. Her MC conjoins his Mercury and squares his Uranus. His “out of the box” way of thinking may have taken her by surprise quite often. But, most of all, her Sun-Saturn conjunction is square his Venus by less than 10 minutes. She probably was not really supportive of many of his career moves since his Venus rules his MC and Saturn square is notorious for pouring cold water over whatever it touches or at the very least, being fearful of them. But a person with Venus rising and square Neptune can be a very good actor.

And now the composite: This truly is a love relationship. The Sun conjoins Venus with only 5 minutes of orb. The ruler of the Cancer ascendant, is the Moon, and it is posited in the seventh house, a sure indicator that this might be a marriage or other legal partnership. Idealism ran high in the partnership—Neptune tucked down in the fourth is trine Mercury, Sun and Venus. Since they were born relatively close together, they both have Saturn-Pluto in Leo. Al’s is in a conjunction with Mars and potent, but hers is too wide for a conjunction. In the composite, though, it is an issue. At this time and for the past five to six years, the Sun-Venus connection has moved to be congruent with the Saturn-Pluto in the composite chart. It started with Venus first going over Pluto about five and a third years ago. It is not over. Venus will start the contacts to Saturn in two more years, and that can be reconciliation or the beginning of the final chapter. It will take some time. Eight years from now, there is still a Venus-Saturn contact to come.

But why the announcement now? Solar arc Saturn is square the composite ascendant, and Transiting Saturn is opposing the solar arc Moon, both of which are trine and sextile the composite Moon in the seventh—hence the apparent amicableness of the separation.