strip can be used to remove new lines. Take for example this script.

#!/usr/bin/python
foo = "Hello World\n"
print(foo)
print("i am here")

The following should be printed, showing a new line after Hello World.

Hello World

i am here

Here is how strip can be used.

#!/usr/bin/python
foo = "Hello World\n"
foo = foo.strip()
print(foo)
print("i am here")

Which should now print the following, showing the new lines after Hello World has been removed.

Hello World
i am here

Or lstrip, to only remove new lines to the left.

#!/usr/bin/python
foo = "Hello World\n"
foo = foo.lstrip()
print(foo)
print("i am here")

Or rstrip, to only remove new lines to the right.

#!/usr/bin/python
foo = "Hello World\n"
foo = foo.rstrip()
print(foo)
print("i am here")