pimppa: cannot access db during install

[Erik Steffl <steffl@bigfoot.com>]

  when trying to install pimppa I get the following errors (I let 
debconf configure pimppa):

Unpacking pimppa (from .../pimppa_0.5.6-1_i386.deb) ...
Setting up pimppa (0.5.6-1) ...
ERROR 1045: Access denied for user: 'root@localhost' (Using password: NO)
ERROR 1045: Access denied for user: 'root@localhost' (Using password: NO)
Warning: pimppa MySQL database seems to exist. It WON'T be recreated
Refer to the documentation on how to eventually upgrade
However the MySQL user's password WILL be changed
ERROR 1045: Access denied for user: 'root@localhost' (Using password: NO)
dpkg: error processing pimppa (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 pimppa
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

  mysql is running, mysql -u root works fine, with or without -h 
localhost  (I have /root/.my.cnf with username and password:

[mysqladmin]
user     = root
password = <secret>

[client]
user     = root
password = <secret>

  (no, <secret> is not a password:-)

  what is it trying to access?

  TIA!

	erik