The First Lady's Astrologer

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In her writings, Quigley likens astrology to medical diagnosis. A horoscope, she insists, "can tell you more about yourself than a psychiatrist can tell you after many hours of consultations on his couch." Bemoaning astrology's "lost respectability," Quigley once predicted that stargazing eventually "will be taught in the schools and colleges and will be considered a profession on a par with medicine and law."

Astrology for Adults, a primer for those new to the discipline, explains the traits associated with various heavenly configurations and contains several indirect references to Ronald Reagan. Quigley writes that Reagan, an Aquarian who was born with the moon in Taurus, would "tend to accept only ideas that . conform to . . . preconceived standards. And these are usually conservative." Since Reagan was born with Mercury in Capricorn, his "memory is excellent. Like the elephant, you never forget."

Several fellow astrologers are decidedly cool toward Quigley. Marion D. March, who prepares charts for many Hollywood stars, dismisses her as a "media astrologer" because of her many TV appearances. Others in the astrological community grouse that Quigley is too aloof. But Jayj Jacobs, another San Francisco practitioner, asks, "If she's doing astrology for the Reagans, what does she need with the rest of the community?"

Although the First Lady was intent on protecting Quigley's identity, the socialite did attend an April 1985 state dinner at the White House in honor of the President of Algeria. For the most part, however, the two women talked by phone on weekends, when the Reagans were relaxing at Camp David. Periodically, Quigley would place a collect call to the White House switchboard, and Nancy would scurry to a private room to take it. A White House aide recalls a time when the First Lady was on two phones at once -- Quigley on one line and a presidential scheduler on the other. Quigley says she has met the President once, at the state dinner, and talked to him once on the telephone. "I know his horoscope upside down, but I don't know him," she says. "I deal with Nancy."

No matter how much stock the First Lady put in Quigley's advice, the astrologer is certainly fallible. According to a friend, Quigley had been predicting for months that a major earthquake would rock San Francisco on May 5. She was out of the city on that day, which may or may not show that she takes her own forecasts seriously. But May 5 came and went with nary a tremble -- except perhaps on Quigley's personal Richter scale. That was the last day of blissful anonymity for the First Lady's astrologer.