"\C-w": backward-kill-word in ~/.inputrc isn't honoured at bash startup

[Johannes Zellner]

Configuration Information [Automatically generated, do not change]:
Machine: i386
OS: linux-gnu
Compiler: gcc
Compilation CFLAGS:  -DPROGRAM='bash' -DCONF_HOSTTYPE='i386' 
-DCONF_OSTYPE='linux-gnu' -DCONF_MACHTYPE='i386-pc-linux-gnu' 
-DCONF_VENDOR='pc' -DLOCALEDIR='/usr/share/locale' -DPACKAGE='bash' -DSHELL 
-DHAVE_CONFIG_H  -I.  -I../bash -I../bash/include -I../bash/lib   -g -O2
uname output: Linux orbital.zellner.org 2.6.7 #3 Mon Sep 27 09:03:08 CEST 2004 
i686 GNU/Linux
Machine Type: i386-pc-linux-gnu

Bash Version: 3.0
Patch Level: 13
Release Status: release

Description:
        "\C-w": backward-kill-word in ~/.inputrc isn't honoured at bash startup.
        However other settings as for example "set show-all-if-ambiguous on" are
        honoured correctly. I checked with strace that bash actually reads 
~/.inputrc
        at startup.

        If I hit "\C-x\C-r" (re-read-init-file) in a running bash, the above key
        binding is installed correctly.

Repeat-By:
        [Describe the sequence of events that causes the problem
        to occur.]

Fix:
        [Description of how to fix the problem.  If you don't know a
        fix for the problem, don't include this section.]