diff -r 0238cc842805 Lib/idlelib/CallTips.py
--- a/Lib/idlelib/CallTips.py	Thu Dec 06 17:49:58 2012 -0500
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/CallTips.py	Fri Dec 07 11:34:19 2012 +0200
@@ -148,13 +148,13 @@
         else:
             doc = getattr(ob, "__doc__", "")
         if doc:
-            doc = doc.lstrip()
-            pos = doc.find("\n")
-            if pos < 0 or pos > 70:
-                pos = 70
-            if argspec:
-                argspec += "\n"
-            argspec += doc[:pos]
+            lines = [argspec] if argspec else []
+            for line in doc.splitlines():
+                line = line.strip()
+                if not line:
+                    break
+                lines.append(line[:70])
+            argspec = '\n'.join(lines)
         if not argspec:
             argspec = _default_callable_argspec
     return argspec
@@ -211,10 +211,12 @@
     def test_builtins():
         # if first line of a possibly multiline compiled docstring changes,
         # must change corresponding test string
-        test('int',  "int(x[, base]) -> integer")
+        test('int',  "int(x=0) -> integer\n"
+             "int(x, base=10) -> integer")
         test('Int',  Int.__doc__)
         test('types.MethodType', "method(function, instance)")
-        test('list', "list() -> new empty list")
+        test('list', "list() -> new empty list\n"
+             "list(iterable) -> new list initialized from iterable's items")
         test('List', List.__doc__)
         test('list.__new__',
                'T.__new__(S, ...) -> a new object with type S, a subtype of T')