assignment embedded in an expression

[Skaperen]

i want to call a function and assign the returned value to a variable, while this value is being tested.  if a condition is met, then that value will be used in the clause the condition causes to be executed.  if this were a simple if statement, then the function could be called before the if statement like:

    temp = makeit()
    if testit(temp):
        sendit(temp)

but here is the catch.  one, the makeit() function is non-idempotent, which means i cannot make extra calls to it (it has side effects). and, two, this test is part of a sequence of elif statements where the previous tests must be done before this one.  if things worked like they do in C then i would be inclined to do it like this:

    if test1():
        send1()
    elif test2():
        send2()
    elif testit( (temp=makeit()) ):
        sendit(temp)
    elif test4():
        send4()
    else:
        send5()

but python does not like the assignment embedded in an expression, as is needed in the third test and code clause above.  any suggestions?