setup.py for c++

[Zora Honey]

I'm taking baby steps toward extending python with c++.  I got the demo 
from "Extending and Embedding the Python Interpreter" running.  My next 
step was to modify the demo to output stuff using <iostream>.  This 
fails, and this seems to be because my setup.py file is using a c 
compiler (gcc) instead of a c++ compiler.  I've searched the web and 
found several solutions, none of which I've been able to implement 
correctly.  I seem to be only inches away but always missing a critical 
piece of information, and I was wondering if the gurus here could help. 
    My attempts:

1.) From Pythonmac-SIG: "The problem is that the link step is done with 
"gcc", not "g++", so you have to add the C++ library by hand. The 
easiest is to add an extra_link_libraries (iirc) flag to the setup.py 
file." Where in the setup.py file? Is this simply a flag or does it need 
arguments?

2.) From "Extending and Embedding the Python Interpreter": "For example, 
if you need to link against libraries known to be in the standard 
library search path on target systems

Extension(...,
           libraries=["gdbm", "readline"])"
This does seem to work, but I don't know if it's the same as 1) or which 
libraries I need to include.

3.) From "Installing Python Modules": "Arbitrary switches intended for 
the compiler or the linker can be supplied with the -Xcompiler arg and 
-Xlinker arg options:
foo foomodule.c -Xcompiler"

I'm using the syntax:
odule1 = Extension(modulename ,
                     sources = sourcecode,
                     )
in my setup.py file, and don't know where to put this compiler option.

4.) From ?: Use compiler option:  python setup.py build --compiler=g++
I get an error message that ends in:
distutils.errors.DistutilsPlatformError: don't know how to compile C/C++ 
code on platform 'posix' with 'g++' compiler
Which sounds like distutils doesn't like my compiler (or somehow I need 
to set the platform--I'm on RedHat 7.1).

Thanks for any ideas,
Zora