With the St. Petersburg mayoral election just a week away, our two most discussed stories in the last seven days relate to candidate Kathleen Ford's "HNIC comment."

Ford's comment was made during an appearance on Bubba the Love Sponge Clem's radio show. The shock jock described St. Petersburg Deputy Mayor Goliath Davis III, who also was the city's first black police chief, as the "quasi-leader of the African-Americans."

"To me it's like talking down to them, that they have somebody to quell them and keep them in line," Clem said.

Ford responded: "Actually, Cornel West has a whole explanation about the HNIC theory, and I agree with that. We don't need one spokesman for a group."

The comment prompted several St. Petersburg Times stories, columns and hundreds of comments from tampabay.com readers.

Here's a look at what some readers were saying:

Ford's comment divides prompted 165 comments from readers.

Lauren Berns wrote: "Given that she actually made reference to West when she was invoking the term, I think it's hard to conclude "she's a racist" based on this one comment. I don't know enough about Ms. Ford to say, based on other words or actions, but this doesn't convince me."

JAK had a short message for everyone: "Let's all get out and vote!"

"Some people will look for reasons to protest any chance that they get," wrote Longtime resident.

St. Petersburg Times correspondent Bill Maxwell's Sunday column, Kathleen Ford's insensitivity and ignorance, generated nearly 150 comments.

"Ford's biggest mistake was going on the radio with a shock jock," wrote Derya.

"'Can't we all just get along?' - Rodney King hehe," asked Piratehead.

Moshekatan wrote to Maxwell: "I think you are helping Ford. Thanks."

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Register to comment, and have your say. Here are links to our recent coverage:

Bill Maxwell: Kathleen Ford's insensitivity and ignorance (Oct. 25)

Sandra Gadsden: Bill Foster, Kathleen Ford show clumsiness on race issues

Ford's comment divides St. Petersburg (Oct. 20)

St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Kathleen Ford used acronym as racial slur, some say (Oct. 17)