Washington ? It is said that the best way to defeat political opponents is to get people laughing at them. Clearly, this is what Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., had in mind when he hosted NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” on Oct. 19.

His parody of Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft is the case in point, and it has a far-reaching meaning. While imitating the attorney general, McCain said the nation would not be safe until everyone lived in fear. He, as the attorney general, went on to propose there be bar codes on everyone’s necks and remote-controlled computer chips with the remote control, of course, being run by Ashcroft.

We have maintained for some time that Sen. McCain was about to switch parties. He has increasingly distanced himself from Republican colleagues, while cozying up to Democrats from Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., to Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., with whom he has co-sponsored legislation (McCain and Kennedy on a patient’s bill of rights; McCain and Feingold on campaign finance reform).

Then there was the bitter contest for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000. Then-presidential candidate George W. Bush cast aspersion on war hero McCain’s military record during the South Carolina primary, this though Bush never served in combat. It left a permanent imprint on McCain and created an irreparable schism between him and President Bush.

So, when Sen. McCain goes on a popular television show and ridicules Bush’s attorney general, he did so for more than the sake of comedy. Atty. Gen. Ashcroft, the top U.S. law enforcement official, is supposed to be an advocate for the government, which means an advocate for the people. Yet, this attorney general has consistently sought to chip away at constitutional rights. Consumed with a combination of religious zealotry and patriotism, Ashcroft believes he knows what is best for America. This is how he justifies his advocacy of greater invasive powers for the FBI and fewer rights for suspected criminals.

These are among the items that prompted Sen. McCain’s parody. Ashcroft’s ideas are so beyond the views of mainstream America that McCain had an easy target. And he knew that getting people to laugh at Ashcroft was only a few steps away from getting them to laugh at Ashcroft’s boss, the president with who he has such enmity.

It is difficult to say that McCain’s “Saturday Night Live” performance marked the beginning of a renewed race for the White House, or that it marked the most recent step on his road to becoming a Democrat, but both scenarios are possible. In 2000, McCain did well in those states that ran open primaries where Democrats were allowed to vote for Republicans. It was his strongest indication that he might have won had he run as Democrat.

The day is late, however, for McCain to both switch parties and initiate a run for the Democratic presidential nomination. But it is not out of the question, especially since the former Vice President Al Gore, Jr., appears to be the current front-runner. Gore is widely viewed in Democratic circles as a man who lost an election he should have easily won, so support for him is shallow. And if that support does not harden or if another credible candidate fails surface, the field could be clear for McCain.

Prediction: We repeat what we have being saying for two years: Sen. John McCain is a Republican in name only. He will yet become a Democrat.