internal error when executing "bzr branch lp:python-mode"

It's my first time ever using bzr, and the first execution resulted in an "internal error" that says to report it, so I do:

[pjonsson@sunrise02 ~]$ bzr branch lp:python-mode
bzr: ERROR: exceptions.AttributeError: addinfourl instance has no attribute 'getheader'

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/commands.py", line 853, in exception_to_return_code
    return the_callable(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/commands.py", line 1055, in run_bzr
    ret = run(*run_argv)
  File "/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/commands.py", line 661, in run_argv_aliases
    return self.run_direct(**all_cmd_args)
  File "/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/commands.py", line 665, in run_direct
    return self._operation.run_simple(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/cleanup.py", line 122, in run_simple
    self.cleanups, self.func, *args, **kwargs)
  File "/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/cleanup.py", line 156, in _do_with_cleanups
    result = func(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/builtins.py", line 1194, in run
    from_location)
  File "/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/bzrdir.py", line 956, in open_tree_or_branch
    bzrdir = klass.open(location)
  File "/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/bzrdir.py", line 840, in open
    t = get_transport(base, possible_transports=possible_transports)
  File "/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/lazy_import.py", line 125, in __call__
    return obj(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/transport/__init__.py", line 1559, in get_transport
    base = directories.dereference(base)
  File "/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/directory_service.py", line 58, in dereference
    return service().look_up(name, url)
  File "/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/plugins/launchpad/lp_directory.py", line 60, in look_up
    return self._resolve(url)
  File "/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/plugins/launchpad/lp_directory.py", line 70, in _resolve
    result = resolve.submit(service)
  File "/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/plugins/launchpad/lp_registration.py", line 275, in submit
    self._authenticated)
  File "/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/plugins/launchpad/lp_registration.py", line 198, in send_request
    result = method(*method_params)
  File "/n/sw/hpc-001/python-2.7.1/lib/python2.7/xmlrpclib.py", line 1224, in __call__
    return self.__send(self.__name, args)
  File "/n/sw/hpc-001/python-2.7.1/lib/python2.7/xmlrpclib.py", line 1570, in __request
    verbose=self.__verbose
  File "/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/plugins/launchpad/lp_registration.py", line 78, in request
    return self.parse_response(response)
  File "/n/sw/hpc-001/python-2.7.1/lib/python2.7/xmlrpclib.py", line 1449, in parse_response
    if response.getheader("Content-Encoding", "") == "gzip":
AttributeError: addinfourl instance has no attribute 'getheader'

bzr 2.1.2 on python 2.7.1 (Linux-2.6.18-194.32.1.el5-x86_64-with-redhat-5.5-Final)
arguments: ['/n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/bin/bzr', 'branch', 'lp:python-mode']
encoding: 'UTF-8', fsenc: 'UTF-8', lang: 'en_US.UTF-8'
plugins:
  launchpad /n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/plugins/launchpad [2.1.2]
  netrc_credential_store /n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/plugins/netrc_credential_store [2.1.2]
  news_merge /n/sw/bzr-2.1.2/lib64/python/bzrlib/plugins/news_merge [2.1.2]

*** Bazaar has encountered an internal error. This probably indicates a
    bug in Bazaar. You can help us fix it by filing a bug report at
        https://bugs.launchpad.net/bzr/+filebug
    including this traceback and a description of the problem.
bzr: warning: some compiled extensions could not be loaded; see <https://answers.launchpad.net/bzr/+faq/703>