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An astrological snapshot of the birth charts of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates – namely their Sun, Moon and Rising Signs -- can give an astonishingly good picture of each of their temperaments, talents and potential hang ups.

Barack Obama

August 4, 1961 7.24pm Honolulu, Hawaii

President Obama is a Leo with a Gemini Moon and an Aquarius Rising. His Leo Sun makes him outgoing and entertaining. He comes to life when surrounded by people. Leo’s downside can be vanity and a surprising amount of insecurity. Behind his confident façade he likely has many self-doubts.

His restless Gemini Moon keeps him constantly on the move, chatting, reading, thinking. He considers routine dull, and much prefers juggling several projects at once. A Fire-sign Sun and an Air-sign Moon give him high enthusiasm, soaring inspiration and the confidence to push for what he wants.

Though he may not always be practical, he luckily has three Earth-sign planets in his chart, which helps keep his feet on the ground. With his Aquarius Rising, he likes to project the image of a strong individual who devotes himself to good causes.

Mitt Romney

March 12, 1947 9:51am Detroit, Michigan

Mitt Romney is a Pisces with a Scorpio Moon. His Gemini Rising gives a slightly misleading impression of him as a cool man. In reality, he is very emotional with his Sun, Moon and three other planets all in Water signs. He’s driven by his feelings and his visions. He’s also very defensive and puts a barrier around his private life to protect himself from getting hurt.

His chart is mainly Water and Air, which is a rather tricky combination, constantly pulling him between his heart and his head. He lacks any Earth-sign planets, which makes him out of touch with his body and quite impractical. He needs people around to attend to the details of his daily routines.

Joe Biden

November 20, 1942 8:32am Scranton, Pennsylvania

The Vice-President is a Scorpio with a Taurus Moon and a Sagittarius Rising. He’s private, emotional and determined in an understated way with not only his Sun but three other planets in Scorpio as well.

His earthy Taurus Moon makes him indulgent and possessive of loved ones. He is stubborn and has incredible endurance. His fiery Sagittarius Rising makes him appear adventurous, outspoken and rather scattered, but in reality he’s quite the strategist.

Paul Ryan

January 29, 1970 2:37am Janesville, Wisconsin

Paul Ryan has his Sun and Venus in Aquarius, his Moon in Libra and his Rising Sign in Sagittarius. With an Air-sign Sun and Moon, he’s the exact opposite of Mitt Romney, who is all Water. Air is cool, detached and a thinker rather than a feeler. Ryan is more practical with three Earth-sign planets, but with only one Water planet he has difficulty expressing emotions.

His Libra Moon gives him a traditional attitude toward home, family and relationships. He dislikes anti-social people and is intolerant of those who don’t take their responsibilities seriously. His Sagittarius Rising gives him a tendency to speak first and think second.