import datetime, re
from datetime import tzinfo

class myTimeZone(tzinfo):
   """docstring for myTimeZone"""
    def utfoffset(self, dt):
        return timedelta(hours=1)

def myDateHandler(aDateString):
   """u'Sat,  6 Sep 2008 21:16:33 EDT'"""
    _my_date_pattern = re.compile(r'\w+\,\s+(\d+)\s+(\w+)\s+(\d+)\s+(\d+)\:(\d+)\:(\d+)')
    day, month, year, hour, minute, second = _my_date_pattern.search(aDateString).groups()
    month = [
            'JAN', 'FEB', 'MAR',
            'APR', 'MAY', 'JUN',
            'JUL', 'AUG', 'SEP',
            'OCT', 'NOV', 'DEC'
    ].index(month.upper()) + 1
    dt = datetime.datetime(
        int(year), int(month), int(day),
        int(hour), int(minute), int(second)
    )                  
    # dt = dt - datetime.timedelta(hours=1)
    # dt = dt - dt.tzinfo.utfoffset(myTimeZone())
    return (dt.year, dt.month, dt.day, dt.hour, dt.minute, dt.second, 0, 0, 0)

def main():
    print myDateHandler("Sat,  6 Sep 2008 21:16:33 EDT")

if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

>>> import time
>>> offset = time.timezone if (time.localtime().tm_isdst == 0) else time.altzone
>>> offset / 60 / 60 * -1
-9