Configure python2.5 on Gentoo

[Norman Khine]

Hello,
I have a strange result on a Gentoo machine in that, after I run
../configure and then type make, the make goes in circles.

checking for c++... c++
configure: WARNING:

By default, distutils will build C++ extension modules with "c++".
If this is not intended, then set CXX on the configure command line.

checking how to run the C preprocessor... cc -E
checking for egrep... grep -E


and then it starts again...

How can I correct this and what is this due to. I am compiling Python-2.5b3

Many thanks

Norman