python-2.6.9 fails in install phase

[behackett]

...
Compiling /var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/image//usr/lib64/python2.6/xmllib.py ...
Compiling /var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/image//usr/lib64/python2.6/xmlrpclib.py ...
Compiling /var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/image//usr/lib64/python2.6/zipfile.py ...
PYTHONPATH=/var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/image//usr/lib64/python2.6  LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/work/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu: \
    ./python -Wi -t /var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/image//usr/lib64/python2.6/compileall.py \
    -d /usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages -f \
    -x badsyntax /var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/image//usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages
Listing /var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/image//usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages ...
PYTHONPATH=/var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/image//usr/lib64/python2.6 LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/work/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu: \
    ./python -Wi -t -O /var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/image//usr/lib64/python2.6/compileall.py \
    -d /usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages -f \
    -x badsyntax /var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/image//usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages
Listing /var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/image//usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages ...
PYTHONPATH=/var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/image//usr/lib64/python2.6 LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/work/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu: \
    ./python -Wi -t -c "import lib2to3.pygram, lib2to3.patcomp;lib2to3.patcomp.PatternCompiler()"
/var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/temp/environment: line 3471: /usr/bin/python2.6: No such file or directory
 * ERROR: dev-lang/python-2.6.9::python failed (install phase):
 *   (no error message)
 * 
 * Call stack:
 *     ebuild.sh, line  115:  Called src_install
 *   environment, line 4235:  Called python_export 'python2.6' 'EPYTHON' 'PYTHON' 'PYTHON_SITEDIR'
 *   environment, line 3471:  Called die
 * The specific snippet of code:
 *                   PYTHON_SITEDIR=$("${PYTHON}" -c 'import distutils.sysconfig; print(distutils.sysconfig.get_python_lib())') || die;
 * 
 * If you need support, post the output of `emerge --info '=dev-lang/python-2.6.9::python'`,
 * the complete build log and the output of `emerge -pqv '=dev-lang/python-2.6.9::python'`.
 * The complete build log is located at '/var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/temp/build.log'.
 * The ebuild environment file is located at '/var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/temp/environment'.
 * Working directory: '/var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/work/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu'
 * S: '/var/tmp/portage/dev-lang/python-2.6.9/work/Python-2.6.9'