A few days ago I heard the term "coffee conservative" for the first time. I didn't get it until it was explained to me... A coffee conservative is a conservative who's not a tea partier. Someone who remains interested in actual policy and doesn't feel the urge to rant tirelessly about decline of the west and the imminent tyranny that Barack Obama is bringing down on us. It's your phrase of the day.
The "Coffee Party," of course, is not some kind of intellecutal, policy-oriented Tea Party. It's a group founded by a former Democrat campaign operative and with myriad ties to the Democratic party.
I'm pretty sure Kevin Drum (or his friend) invented the term "coffee conservative" as something that he wishes existed but doesn't. Maybe he's just imagining a giant horde of Reihan Salams. Meanwhile, if he's interested in the "calm policy wonk" type conservatives, there's no shortage of them. I'm sure they'd deny the label "coffee conservative" though. Especially with its implications and ties to the "coffee party."