trouble building 2.1

[cindy]

Hi
I'm trying to install the new release of python.
I'm currently using redhat 7.0. I would like to leave the old release,
python 1.5.2, along.
Should I have used  " make altinstall"  and set the --prefix  option for
the new install?

When I key in make I get the following error:

gcc -c -g -O2 -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -I. -I./Include -DHAVE_CONFIG_H
-o Modules/python.o Modules/python.c
In file included from Include/Python.h:54,
                 from Modules/python.c:3:
Include/pyport.h:422:2: #error "LONG_BIT definition appears wrong for
platform (bad gcc/glibc config?)."
make: *** [Modules/python.o] Error 1

Thanks.
Wayne