A recent front-page story about Sen. Susan Collins’ voting record for federal judges amounted to nothing more than “clickbait” once you actually read the story. Here was the headline: “Sen. Susan Collins’ ‘no’ votes on judicial nominees have risen sharply under Biden” (June 25).

I clicked, thinking I would read a story about Collins’ flip-flopping and opposing far more of President Biden’s nominees than past Republican presidents’ nominees. After all, the story was prominently displayed on the front page.

Turns out, I was duped. Collins has voted for 86% of Biden’s judges – more than any other Republican senator. Then it noted that her career average on judges was 94%, regardless of party. I’m not a mathematician, but it seems like we’re looking at an 8 percentage point difference. Not the “sharp” rise I was told to expect.

If the goal was to get me to click on a humdrum story, mission accomplished.

Rick Dolliver
Ogunquit