I want to dynamically query Google Maps through the Google Directions API. As an example, this request calculates the route from Chicago, IL to Los Angeles, CA via two waypoints in Joplin, MO and Oklahoma City, OK:
http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/directions/json?origin=Chicago,IL&destination=Los+Angeles,CA&waypoints=Joplin,MO|Oklahoma+City,OK&sensor=false
It returns a result in the JSON format.
How can I do this in Python? I want to send such a request, receive the result and parse it.