Mitt Romney is running unabashedly as an establishment Republican, a business-friendly type who talks mostly about the economy and how his private sector experience renders him most prepared for the presidency in these tough economic times.

Except he opposed the last-minute deal to avert an unprecedented U.S. default, something his friends at the Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable, and other organizations said was desperately needed.

In his craven appeal for the Tea Party vote — and his bid to avoid being outflanked by Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann — Romney sheds the “grown up” label he’s worn for much of the year, being the only GOP’er to acknowledge the science of global warming and refuse to sign broad pledges on issues like gay marriage and abortion. But he also risks once again being the empty opportunist in the race, the guy who will say or do anything to get the nomination of a party that’s more conservative than he is.

Jon Huntsman, Romney’s rival Mormon Millionaire in the race, is the only contender to support the deal.

Reached Tuesday, the Chamber said it does not comment on presidential politics. But we can be sure the business community — the Chamber included — are a bit upset at all that money from the 2010 campaign going to elect a Tea Party Congress that doesn’t view politics through the prism of the market as much as they do.