embedding tcl interpreter in Python

[Ed Warnicke]

I know that the following has floated by from time to time, but I thought
I'd bring it up again.

Due to the extensive use of Tcl by test equipment manufacturers, and my 
desire
to use Python instead of Tcl for my script development, I find myself in 
need of
a Tcl interpreter embedded in Python.

It is clear to me that this has already been done in Tkinter, and
done much better than I am likely to do by myself.  I do not see a
good clean way to use this embedding of Tcl in environments were
I have no interest in Tk.  What I have tried thus far is

Python 2.2.2 (#4, Oct 15 2002, 04:21:28)
[GCC 2.95.4 20011002 (Debian prerelease)] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
 >>> import Tkinter
 >>> tk = Tkinter.Tk()
 >>> tk.destroy()
 >>> tcl = tk.tk
 >>> tcl.eval("puts a")
a
''
 >>>

which pretty much works.  But if you have no DISPLAY variable set you 
have troubles,
due to the inherent Tkness ( creating a Tkinter.Tk object barfs if you 
have no display
set).

What I would like to ask is the following:

1)    Does someone have a cleaner, more functional way of embedding Tcl 
in Python
    than the hack I showed above.  
2)    If not, is there any interest in incorporating a Tkinter.Tcl() 
object into
    Tkinter that would allow the embedding of a Tcl interpreter without 
the Tk
    baggage?  I'm more than willing to write code, if there is some 
interest in
    incorporating it.

Ed