diff -r b214066b7e1d -r 8c6f823efcc9 mercurial/util.py
--- a/mercurial/util.py	Sun Mar 29 14:43:49 2009 +0200
+++ b/mercurial/util.py	Wed Apr 01 09:11:00 2009 -0700
@@ -1315,6 +1315,7 @@
         d["d"] = "28"
         return parsedate(date, extendeddateformats, d)[0]
 
+    date = date.strip()
     if date[0] == "<":
         when = upper(date[1:])
         return lambda x: x <= when