Politicians like to speak but not answering questions

Why do so many, if not all politicians have this most annoying habit of not answering maybe what are difficult questions but nevertheless pertinent or important. They do so by giving an answer that puts forward one their own positions but does not answer the questions asked. Yet, those very same politicians are the one that cannot heap enough praise on democracy and on transparency of government.

When confronted about this issue, the response from the same politician is usually that this is politics! It seems that it is accepted by both media and politicians alike. In fact, in many more serious, or in-depth, live interviews it seems to be a game played by both parties at the depends of the public.

There are a few interviewers, some of the good ones, I guess, that will try to pursue the line of questioning and repeat the question, pointing out that it hasn't been answered. Nevertheless the politician will usually do more of the same and again ignore the question asked and go on mouthing the platitudes and sound bytes that they so adeptly have mastered in repeating.

To my mind this is a travesty of democratic government and a lack of transparency, a disrespect of the interviewer and of the electorate.

By the way some of the questions that, over and over, get this treatment, are questions about support for a leader, whether the elected will stay on full term or not and whether they will vote for an issue (on party line, or any other, grounds) which is against to their declared position.

If you have any good example of this, via a transcript of, or a link to, a live interview, feel free to add it via a comment.