Index: Doc/library/configparser.rst
===================================================================
--- Doc/library/configparser.rst	(revision 61014)
+++ Doc/library/configparser.rst	(working copy)
@@ -29,9 +29,11 @@
 
 The configuration file consists of sections, led by a ``[section]`` header and
 followed by ``name: value`` entries, with continuations in the style of
-:rfc:`822`; ``name=value`` is also accepted.  Note that leading whitespace is
-removed from values. The optional values can contain format strings which refer
-to other values in the same section, or values in a special ``DEFAULT`` section.
+:rfc:`822`; ``name=value`` is also accepted.  Note that trailing and leading
+whitespaces are removed from values, unless wrapped inside double quotes. 
+Consequently, double quotes should also be escaped to avoid losing them when
+the file is read. The optional values can contain format strings which refer to
+other values in the same section, or values in a special ``DEFAULT`` section.
 Additional defaults can be provided on initialization and retrieval.  Lines
 beginning with ``'#'`` or ``';'`` are ignored and may be used to provide
 comments.
Index: Lib/ConfigParser.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/ConfigParser.py	(revision 61014)
+++ Lib/ConfigParser.py	(working copy)
@@ -387,6 +387,10 @@
         for section in self._sections:
             fp.write("[%s]\n" % section)
             for (key, value) in self._sections[section].items():
+                # surround with double quotes if leading/trailing spaces or
+                # double quotes are found
+                if value[0] in (' ', '"') or value[-1] in (' ', '"'):
+                    value = '"' + value + '"'
                 if key != "__name__":
                     fp.write("%s = %s\n" %
                              (key, str(value).replace('\n', '\n\t')))
@@ -492,9 +496,11 @@
                             if pos != -1 and optval[pos-1].isspace():
                                 optval = optval[:pos]
                         optval = optval.strip()
-                        # allow empty values
-                        if optval == '""':
-                            optval = ''
+                        # allow double quotes to be used to prevent trailing
+                        # and leading spaces from being stripped
+                        if len(optval) > 1 and optval[0] == '"' and \
+                           optval[-1] == '"':
+                            optval = optval[1:-1:]
                         optname = self.optionxform(optname.rstrip())
                         cursect[optname] = optval
                     else:
Index: Lib/test/test_cfgparser.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/test/test_cfgparser.py	(revision 61014)
+++ Lib/test/test_cfgparser.py	(working copy)
@@ -145,6 +145,22 @@
             cf.get("DEFAULT", "Foo"), "Bar",
             "could not locate option, expecting case-insensitive defaults")
 
+    def test_double_quotes(self):
+        cf = self.fromstring(
+            "[Spam]\n"
+            "egg =\"\"\n"
+            "bacon = \" with trailing and leading spaces \"\n"
+            "sausage = \"multiple \"double quotes\"\"\n"
+            "tomatoes = not \"surrounding\"\n"
+            "more spam = \"\n"
+            )
+        eq = self.assertEqual
+        eq(cf.get('Spam', 'egg'), '')
+        eq(cf.get('Spam', 'bacon'), ' with trailing and leading spaces ')
+        eq(cf.get('Spam', 'sausage'), 'multiple "double quotes"')
+        eq(cf.get('Spam', 'tomatoes'), 'not "surrounding"')
+        eq(cf.get('Spam', 'more spam'), '"')
+
     def test_parse_errors(self):
         self.newconfig()
         self.parse_error(ConfigParser.ParsingError,
@@ -241,6 +257,22 @@
             "\n"
             )
 
+    def test_write_double_quotes(self):
+        cf = self.fromstring(
+            "[Escaping]\n"
+            "bar: \" leading spaces\"\n"
+            "baz: \"\"double quotes\"\"\n"
+            )
+        output = StringIO.StringIO()
+        cf.write(output)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            output.getvalue(),
+            "[Escaping]\n"
+            "bar = \" leading spaces\"\n"
+            "baz = \"\"double quotes\"\"\n"
+            "\n"
+            )
+
     def test_set_string_types(self):
         cf = self.fromstring("[sect]\n"
                              "option1=foo\n")