Sean Penn speaks out

Sean Penn has experienced backlash for talking openly about his political beliefs, but sees such discussion as more respectable than promoting movies.

“There’s baggage attached to coming out publicly on stuff, but there’s baggage -- in my view, more damaging baggage -- to goin’ and [appearing] . . . on Jay Leno’s show, philosophizing about ‘Uncle Buck’ or whatever you’re hawkin’,” the Oscar-winning actor tells Esquire magazine in its September issue, on newsstands Wednesday.

Penn, 46, has bitterly criticized President Bush, toured Iraq to observe the war there and helped rescue workers with door-to-door searches for survivors after Hurricane Katrina swamped New Orleans.

When asked if he wants the United States to win the war in Iraq, Penn replies: “I think we’re past that point in human evolution where there’s such a thing as winning wars.”