There was once a rather long discussion about "const" in
PyArg_ParseTupleAndKeywords:
http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-February/060689.html

If you don't read it to the end, here is the conclusion:
"""
It sounds like the right answer for Python is to change the signature
of PyArg_ParseTupleAndKeywords() back.  We'll fix it when C fixes its
const rules <wink>.
"""

"const char*" was accepted without opposition, though.