alias method by Python

This is the python version of ruby alias_method equivalent.

#!/usr/bin/env python
from datetime import *

def trace_it(method):
    # retrieve the enclosing class of the method
    class_ = method.im_class
    # retrieve the method name
    name_ = method.__name__

    def alias_method(*args, **kwargs):
        print "[%s] %s %s srated" % (datetime.today(), class_.__name__, name_)
        retval = method(*args, **kwargs)
        print "[%s] %s %s finished" % (datetime.today(), class_.__name__, name_)
        return retval

    # replace the original method with the alias
    setattr(class_, name_, alias_method)

class Test1(object):
    def foo1(self):
        print 'foo1()'

    def foo2(self):
        print 'foo2()'

trace_it(Test1.foo1)

tc = Test1()
tc.foo1()
tc.foo2()