My cat asked if we should buy some popcorn for tomorrow’s Democratic Presidential Debate. I replied that I’d have to check first to see if we could watch it for free since we don’t pay for television.

“We can’t watch the debates for free?”

While my feline’s learning is deep, her memory is shallow.

“Remember that we couldn’t watch the Fox News debates live or travel to Cleveland to see them because it was a private event? Today one must pay money to participate in the political process.”

She remembered.

She remembered too, after I reminded her, that her favorite, Rick Santorum, was relegated to the early debates in Cleveland that occurred while working class Americans were traveling home from work.

“I’ve given up on Santorum,” she replied, curtly.

“Money, once again, makes a difference,” I reminded her. “Santorum has none.”

It was an evening of remembrances.

“I’ve moved on,” she stated. “I support Marco Rubio.”

At least this time she’s picked someone closer to her age.

The Democratic Debate

Tuesday’s debate occurs with sun and Mercury in air sign Libra. Air sign (Libra, Aquarius, Gemini) equals “debate” so the conversation should be interesting.

If you are familiar with Libra debating techniques, you can also expect the debate to continue infinitely with no resolution. While Libra likes to debate and weigh all the info (and weigh and weigh), it very much dislikes the light at the end of the information gathering – Decision. Libras avoid making decisions like cats avoid water.

While the sun is in diplomatic, poetic Libra, the moon will have just moved into intense, emotional Scorpio, the sign in which we do actual voting here in the US. I expect this debate to be the best of what a debate can be – pleasant overtones with subtle, under-the-belt hits with a steel bar.

I can’t wait.

With an additional three planets in Virgo (Venus, Mars, Jupiter), there will also be the usual “you said this . . .” kind of stuff.

Transiting Neptune (in Pisces) opposes the Virgo planets so expect more fog – all kinds of fog.

Transiting Uranus (in Aries) and transiting Pluto (in Capricorn) are still locked in a T-square duel that creates earthquakes, uprisings and conflict.

Let’s take a look at how the energies of Tuesday will affect the candidates.

The Candidates

Lincoln Chafee – The major aspects involve the sun and moon. The other transiting planets are in early degrees of signs while Chafee’s chart skews toward the higher degrees. While the average person may find relief from hard aspects, if you’re seeking attention on the national stage, you might want some aspects as the friction that starts the fire.

The sun will be conjunct natal Neptune and Saturn in Libra. When the spotlight does shine on Chafee, we may view a type of artistic melancholy rather than spark of fire, although Chafee has sun in fire-sign Aries.

The moon in Scorpio will oppose natal Venus and Mars in Taurus. While Chafee has lots of fire in his chart (sun in Aries, moon/Pluto in Leo), it’s the more gentle aspects of his aggressive personality that will be brought out and trampled upon.

Venus and Mars in Taurus enjoy physical pleasure. Money, assets and wealth may be a target on Chafee’s chest. While he’d like to talk about how he’s going to take the United States into a progressive and exciting future, we may instead hear someone ask how he afforded that big house.

Two transiting aspects that provided energy to Chafee have passed – Uranus in Aries (in the degree of his sun) and Jupiter in Leo. Chafee is a calmer person now, which is nice for personal life but not necessarily helpful in public life.

Hillary Clinton – Our Scorpio-sun candidate will have Scorpio moon visiting. When the moon visits, events become unpredictable and your regular guy-next-door may turn into a vampire.

Without going into all the aspects on this high-profile candidate, I think we can simply discuss Scorpio energy. Scorpio is one of the fixed signs; fixed means it’s strong and focused. In the element of water, it represents fixed emotion. A baby smiles, then cries, then laughs then throws a rattle at you. That’s not Scorpio (that’s mutable). The Hatfields and McCoys holding battle for generation after generation is Scorpio. Obsession is Scorpio. Love that doesn’t waver is Scorpio. Emotional honesty is Scorpio.

Because of Scorpio’s fixed emotional nature, it’s very intense in projection and generates equally intense responses. Scorpios love or hate and are often loved or hated in return. If you’re a Scorpio that’s being ignored (ala Republican ex-candidate Scott Walker), then you’re not fully emanating your emotions.

Clinton receives the love and hate of textbook Scorpios. Natal Mars/Pluto/Saturn conjunct in Leo square this energy adds to the intensity to get what one wants. Being square, Leo is also a fixed sign. Mars/Pluto/Saturn in combination is very heavy, both for the holder and receivers. Mars is assertiveness/aggression; Pluto power and transformation; Saturn discipline and control.

That’s intense. Tomorrow will be intense. Every day for Clinton is intense.

Martin O’Malley – This is another serious soul with sun in Capricorn and moon in Scorpio. Additionally he is of the Uranus/Pluto in Virgo generation which is serious about work, health and the environment.

Tomorrow’s sun in Libra is square his ambitious sun in Capricorn. O’Malley will be challenged to show diplomacy in relation to authority. Libra energy demands that bad news be wrapped in silk covering. Capricorn prefers “do it because I said so.”

Natal Neptune is conjunct the moon providing oodles of charisma and much of the sexual kind. This should bode well for the image-making media of television. Would he dare wear Scorpio black to accent his nature?

Natal Saturn in Aquarius indicates a certain lack of connectedness with the crowd. O’Malley may come off more as old-fashioned or traditional when the audience may want progressive and forward-thinking. His Mercury is in Aquarius so he may be able to pull off progressive talk; but square his moon there may be rational, forward-looking ideas followed by talk that implies fear of the future.

Transiting Saturn in Sagittarius is still far from O’Malley’s natal Venus in Sagittarius. Later, this may cause him problems and suggest focus on the love life. Skeletons in the closet of love have brought down many a candidate. This Saturn transit squares natal Uranus/Pluto so O’Malley will be challenged (in a big way) where his actions don’t meet his words.

Transiting Neptune is near O’Malley’s Jupiter in Pisces. This is another indicate of charisma. A natural charisma may make up for whatever faux pas occur tomorrow for O’Malley. But there’s still trouble on the way with Saturn.

Bernie Sanders – With transiting Uranus (in Aries) moving over natal moon and Mars, expect aggression and lots of it.

Sanders’ aggressive moon is in conflict with his Virgo sun which has a weaker ego structure. But I can guarantee this man relentlessly picks (and picks) at those around him. He’s a natural born athlete and critic; sportscaster is the first profession that comes to mind as a backup career plan for Sanders.

Tomorrow’s moon in emotional Scorpio may be a cloud overhead for Sanders that he completely ignores. His Aries energy is in opposition to tomorrow’s Libra sun. Sanders may rant but be completely out of step with the energies around him.

I’m imagining Sanders getting mean and nasty and then saying sorry (natal Venus in Libra opposite moon /Mars). He may want to keep Donald Trump’s techniques in mind. If you’re mean, just go with it. Don’t apologize; say something even meaner when responding. But don’t be mean then apologize – that will show the Virgo/Aries conflict.

Transiting Saturn is currently opposed to Sanders’ natal Uranus in Gemini (and technically opposing natal Saturn but out of sign). The Saturn opposition to natal Saturn is a life milestone. It’s a time of challenging authority, for the second time for Sanders. About 29 years ago Sanders may have done something equal in energy to running for president.

Jim Webb – This candidate is definitely different from the others with Mercury, sun and Venus in Aquarius and moon in Taurus (but potentially Aries).

If moon is in Taurus, he will appear much calmer than the other candidates. He may be too calm and appear rigid. Aquarius is the fixed air sign and Taurus the fixed earth sign. That’s a strong combination but unexpressive emotionally.

Aquarius knows what it thinks and has developed its ideas through careful consideration. Aquarius is the genius and humanitarian of the zodiac so he should have some interesting concepts to present.

Natal Mars and Saturn are conjunct in Cancer with transiting Pluto in Capricorn opposing. Webb’s home life is usually difficult at best and now going through changes and transformations. Aquarius likes its freedom so leaving home for long periods of time may suit Webb well.

Sun in Libra tomorrow works well with the Aquarius energy. He’ll connect to the vibes around him. He may have trouble when moon in Scorpio starts getting nasty. Unless his moon is in Aries, he’ll probably shy away from calling his opponents ugly (like a certain Republican candidate).

Webb seems to be a scholar more than politician with so much air. In addition to Aquarius, he has Neptune and Jupiter in Libra and Uranus in Gemini. We may have, at last, a rational debater.

Is it possible we could have a debate where an idea is discussed civilly, intelligently and long enough so that we know how the candidate thinks?

With five candidates (unlike the Republican 10 or 11), it is certainly possible.

Hope springs eternal.