compiling python 2.3.4 with command line editing

[enjoylife_95135]

Hi,
   I'm running RH9 on my laptop. It comes with the Python 2.2.2 RPM.
Its cool because when I run the interpreter, I can use command line
history.

   I need to upgrade, so I downloaded and compiled Python 2.3.4. Very
cool, spiffy etc, but the interpreter doesn't allow for command line
editing, i.e. I can't type <ctrl-P> and go to the previous command.

    How do I enable that?

Thanks!
S