No acceptable C compiler was found in $PATH

[banaticus]

What does this error message mean?  What can I do to fix it? 
 
Here'e the command that I just tried running, and the messages that 
I received.  I just barely unpacked python. 
 
linux:/Python-2.4 # ./configure 
checking MACHDEP... linux2 
checking EXTRAPLATDIR... 
checking for --without-gcc... no 
checking for --with-cxx=<compiler>... no 
checking for c++... no 
checking for g++... no 
checking for gcc... no 
checking for CC... no 
checking for cxx... no 
checking for cc++... no 
checking for cl... no 
checking for gcc... no 
checking for cc... no 
checking for cc... no 
checking for cl... no 
configure: error: no acceptable C compiler found in $PATH 
See `config.log' for more details. 
linux:/Python-2.4 #