Nancy Reagan’s Astrologer, ‘Closely Guarded Secret,’ Died. Read The Obit.

Astrologer Joan Quigley is pictured with a group of charts that she uses in her work, at her residence in Nob Hill, San Francisco, March 15, 1990. Quigley was the White House astrologer during the Reagan administrat... Astrologer Joan Quigley is pictured with a group of charts that she uses in her work, at her residence in Nob Hill, San Francisco, March 15, 1990. Quigley was the White House astrologer during the Reagan administration. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

The New York Times published a remarkable obituary Saturday of Joan Quigley, who served as an official astrologer of sorts to First Lady Nancy Reagan during her husband’s presidency. She was once described by a top Reagan aide described as the administration’s “most closely guarded secret.”

Quigley died Tuesday at the age of 87 in San Francisco.

Here is how the former chief of staff described Quigley’s role in the Reagan White House, via the Times:

He said an astrologer had set the time for summit meetings, presidential debates, Reagan’s 1985 cancer surgery, State of the Union addresses and much more. Without an O.K. from the astrologer, he said, Air Force One did not take off.

She was kept on a $3,000 a month retainer and spoke with Mrs. Reagan two or three times a day, according to the Times. Private phone lines were set up for her at the White House and Camp David.

Read the whole remarkable account, written by the Times’s Douglas Martin, here.

Latest Livewire
75
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. So this is what opened Ronald Reagan up to the satanic influences that ended up ruling our country at that time. Creepy.

  2. I don’t see much difference between astrological or religious divination for the purpose of governing a country. Both are based on belief systems which defy rational scrutiny.

    LD

  3. So, she basically made 36,000 a year fleecing a stupid President and his ignorant wife. Incredible.

    It’s hard to believe anyone buys into that crap these days.

  4. People believe all kinds of crap and always will. Doesn’t make it right.

  5. Miss Thang could predict the future and didn’t choose a hairstyle that future generations wouldn’t snicker at?

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

69 more replies

Participants

Avatar for frustum Avatar for lychnus_diogenes Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for silas1898 Avatar for Diogenes67 Avatar for deckbose Avatar for snig Avatar for leftflank Avatar for Zookeeper Avatar for teenlaqueefa Avatar for wombat Avatar for harposnarx Avatar for mcbain Avatar for chelsea530 Avatar for yankeeclipper Avatar for joelopines Avatar for patrick_hasburgh Avatar for andy49 Avatar for neal_anderthal Avatar for megsilvern Avatar for masterlever Avatar for bromeando Avatar for farmbo Avatar for meta

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: