This is actually one step and cannot be done until after the release is up on python.org.

pep-0101.txt

@@ -340,20 +340,6 @@ How to Make A Release
       freshly unpacked directory looks weird, you better stop now and
       figure out what the problem is.
 
-  ___ For the extra paranoid, do a completely clean test of the
-      release.  This includes downloading the tarball from
-      www.python.org.
-
-  ___ Make sure the md5 checksums match.  Then unpack the tarball,
-      and do a clean make test.
-
-      % make distclean
-      % ./configure
-      % make test
-
-      To ensure that the regression test suite passes.  If not, you
-      screwed up somewhere!
-
   ___ Now you need to go to dinsdale.python.org and move all the files
       in place over there.  Our policy is that every Python version gets its
       own directory, but each directory may contain several releases.  We keep
@@ -401,6 +387,20 @@ How to Make A Release
           stable/development branches, and to install it and make the initial
           checkout.
 
+  ___ For the extra paranoid, do a completely clean test of the
+      release.  This includes downloading the tarball from
+      www.python.org.
+
+      Make sure the md5 checksums match.  Then unpack the tarball,
+      and do a clean make test.
+
+      % make distclean
+      % ./configure
+      % make test
+
+      To ensure that the regression test suite passes.  If not, you
+      screwed up somewhere!
+
   Now it's time to twiddle the web site.
 
   To do these steps, you must have the permission to edit the website.  If you