Problem with a python script and the date command at a *nix terminal

[jamadagni]

I will attach a Python script I wrote to make my using the date command easier. But it does not appear to work perfectly. Please see the following session transcript:

$ ./datefmt "foo\nymd hm"
+"foo%n%F %R"
$ date +"foo%n%F %R"
foo
2007-03-29 20:03
$ date $(./datefmt "foo\nymd hm")
date: extra operand `%R"'
Try `date --help' for more information.

$ ./datefmt "foo\nymd hm"
+"foo%n%F %R"
$ date +"foo%n%F %R"
foo
2007-03-29 20:03
$ date $(./datefmt "foo\nymd hm")
date: extra operand `%R"'
Try `date --help' for more information.

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What is the problem? I am using Konsole from KDE 3.5.6 on Kubuntu Edgy.