His campaign appearance in Washington seems to have backfired on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but when all else fails and you're slipping in the polls, who ya gonna call?

That's right. Chuck Norris.

In what may prove the oddest of political bedfellowing, Walker Texas Ranger and Delta Force star, the high-kicking Norris has appeared in a last minute campaign ad in Israel extolling the leadership virtues of the prime minister, a day after Netanyahu assured Israeli voters that with him as Israeli leader, Palestinian statehood was DOA.

Norris told Israelis, “I have done three movies in Israel, Delta Force being my favorite, and I formed many friendships while there...You have an incredible country, and we want to keep it that way.” Netanyahu, he said, could keep the region's "evil forces" at bay. And him without a black belt ...

Back in the United States, another politician who had presumed himself a shoe-in is similarly facing an unexpected tough slog to re-election, but Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel did not decide to run the Norris option. Instead he's received some last-minute rhetorical support from across the political aisle as Republican Senator Mark Kirk warned Chicagoans to re-elect Rahm or endure a Detroit-style civic meltdown. Emanuel's challengers "don't have the gravitas with the bond market," according to Kirk.

"A collapse of Chicago debt, which already happened with Detroit," Kirk said, "I think would soon follow if somebody who was really inexperienced and irresponsible replaced Rahm.”

Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia is the mayor's only challenger in the April 7 runoff election.