at a good clip and *at a fast clip

at a good clip and *at a fast clip
rapidly. (*Typically: go ~; move ~; run ~; travel ~.) We were moving along at a good clip when a state trooper stopped us

grouse about someone or something

grouse about someone or something
to complain about someone or something. What are you grousing about now? I am grousing about your carelessness!

spin doctor 1

spin doctor
someone who gives a twisted or deviously deceptive version of an event. (Usually in the context of manipulating the news for political reasons.) Things were going bad for the candidate, so he got himself a new spin doctor. A good spin doctor could have made the incident appear far less damaging