can't run root as regular user

[Mark Grieveson <dg135@torfree.net>]

Hello.  I recently upgraded to Sid, and I cannot run root commands as a 
regular user.  When I try to run Synaptic, I get the following message 
after entering the root password:
"Failed to run /usr/sbin/synaptic as user root:
Failed to communicate with gksu-run-helper.

Received:
configuration error - unknown item 'FAIL_DELAY' (notify administrator)

While expecting:
gksu: waiting"

Likewise, when I try to run gnome-terminal as superuser, I get the 
following response:
"configuration error - unknown item 'FAIL_DELAY' (notify administrator)
configuration error - unknown item 'QUOTAS_ENAB' (notify administrator)
configuration error - unknown item 'NOLOGIN_STR' (notify administrator)
configuration error - unknown item 'ENV_HZ' (notify administrator)
configuration error - unknown item 'PASS_MAX_LEN' (notify administrator)
configuration error - unknown item 'CHFN_AUTH' (notify administrator)
configuration error - unknown item 'CLOSE_SESSIONS' (notify administrator)"

Anyone know how I can fix this?