In an interview on Nightline, President Bush says the Bible is “probably not” literally true, and says there is “scientific proof” for evolution.

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Biblical literalists are fuming mad.

David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network told CNN“s John Roberts on Thursday, ”I think a lot of social conservative evangelicals were surprised — probably grabbing the smelling salts as we speak.“

One blogger at the conservative Washington Times, commented the next morning, ”I already have an e-mail from a former Bush administration official who writes, ‘This just completely alienated his evangelical supporters.’“

Brody, who has written that Bush would ”have had to go into damage control mode“ after these comments if he were still running for office, said that the remarks definitely ”would have been an issue“ in 1999, when Bush was actively seeking the support of the religious right in his bid for the presidency.

Brody concluded by suggesting, with what appeared to be a note of bitterness, that ”George Bush has always been — quote — ‘good’ on the ‘life’ issue with social conservatives and good with the marriage issue. And it seems that he had cover because he had the public policy positions down."