By prefixing a number with 0, you're actually using octal rather than 
decimal (i.e., only digits 0 to 7 are valid).  For example, try:

 >>> print 030
24
 >>> print 077
63

patricio wrote:
> New submission from patricio <patriciogimelli@yahoo.com.ar>:
>
> a = 08
>  print a
>  File"<stdin>",line 1
>  a = 08
>       <
>  syntax error:invalid token
>
> (if I use 07, the 0 is supressed but it compiles & display the 7)
>
> ----------
> messages: 74258
> nosy: pgimelli
> severity: normal
> status: open
> title: 08 value popups an stdin error, no date handle allowed
> type: compile error
> versions: Python 2.5
>
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> <http://bugs.python.org/issue4031>
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>