PBS’ “Need To Know” offered on Friday a good attempt at a fair and balanced discussion of money in politics in the first presidential election since the 2010 Citizens United ruling. CCP President David Keating is joined by National Review’s Richard Brookiser in arguing that money is a necessary part of speech in elections and that the disclosure regime has been tightening up — to the country’s detriment — since the early days of the Republic. Monica Youn of the Brennan Center and former NY Congressman Scott Murphy take the opposing opinion that CU opened the door for the now much-used (and still hilariously misused) so-called “dark money” special interests. Most interesting is watching Youn try to make the fact that Sheldon Adelson is now a well-known name for his large donations something dark and nefarious — despite the fact that his money made almost no impact on the race itself.

Watch Need to Know 11/16/2012 on PBS. See more from Need To Know.