The most infamous Mercury retrograde moment in our recent history, involved the U.S. Presidential elections of 2000. The elections took place on the 1st Tuesday of November -- the 7th. Mercury had been retrograding since October 18th of that year and stationed to go direct on the very day of the elections. In fact, the exact time when it stationed coincided approximately with the hour when the voting polls closed on the east coast. Normally, by itself, this would not have indicated the voting turmoil that would ensue. But on this day, Mercury had stationed at the last degree of Libra, the sign of balance and cooperation, indicating the changing point where balance transforms into the beginnings of strong-willed obstinacy (the first degree of Scorpio). Mercury did this at the same time it was in a difficult angular relationship with Neptune and disposed to Mars, planets indicating conflict and confusion respectively. At the same time, transiting Saturn and Jupiter -- planets of obstacles and legalities -- were themselves in retrograde motion and transiting Mars was conjunct natal Saturn in the 11th house of parties, bringing conflict and obstacles to matters of partisanship. If we had astrological weather forecasters, the weather for that day could have read: “high chance for a re-examination of communications, legalities and long-term commitments -- accompanied by heavy showers of conflict and confusion.” What ensued could be called the most confused and conflict-ridden re-examination of what the public had actually communicated in the history of all U.S. elections.
The most interesting transit of the complicated astrological sequence is that when the US Supreme Court finally ruled in favor of putting an end to the recounts in Florida on December 12, 2000, Mercury was forming a quincunx to the nation's Sun in Cancer, which also happens to be George W. Bush's sun sign and degree. So both the nation and George W. Bush have the fixed star Sirius conjunct the degree Mercury was transiting when he was in effect declared president of the nation. Of the Dog Star, Elsbeth Ebertin says: "Sirius in conjunction with the Sun and well placed in the chart will be found to be the case with numerous important and famous personalities. Possibly, the rise in station is made possible by protection from people of influence." And so it was.