Mattis Takes Aim At South China Sea Militarization.
ROMANS: New overnight, Defense Sec. James Mattis telling officials from the Pacific Region no single nation can rewrite the international rules of the road. That's Mattis taking aim at China's efforts to militarize parts of the South China Sea. Joining us now is CNN's Matt Rivers, live in Beijing with the very latest. This has been a big concern with the United States and its allies for some time.</s>MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely, and part of the reason why the secretary of Defense is here in Southeast Asia is to rally support of other countries against what he would call China's militarization of the South China Sea. What he's saying there is by building up these artificial islands, by installing military equipment on those islands, China continues to threaten the flow of open commerce. That's why you see the United States continually undertake these freedom of navigation operations where they transit very close. Navy ships will transit very close to these islands to challenge Chinese territorial claims. But it's worth mentioning here that he makes these comments as tensions in this part of the world between the U.S. and China continue to go up. You had two B-52 bombers flown by the Air Force over the South China Sea -- over disputed islands. China wasn't happy about that. And you also had an incident just last month where a U.S. Navy destroyer came within 45 yards of a Chinese warship during one of those freedom of navigation operations. The Chinese not happy about that nor were the Americans. So clearly, the secretary of Defense sticking with the line from the Trump administration that they are going to challenge China in the South China Sea. Even though there might be a little bit of daylight between President Trump and James Mattis right now, they're on the same page when it comes to China.</s>ROMANS: All right. Matt Rivers for us in Beijing this morning. Thanks, Matt.</s>BRIGGS: All right. A curious comment from Republican Congressman Dave Brat, who stopped by a Virginia jail Wednesday to speak with inmates about addiction. In an audio obtained by "The Washington Post," Brat drew parallels between the campaign attack ads against him and the challenges inmates face -- listen.</s>REP. DAVE BRAT (R), VIRGINIA: You think you're having a hard time? I got $5 million worth of negative ads going at me. How do you think I'm feeling? Nothing's easy for anybody. You think I'm a congressman -- oh, life's easy. This guy's off having steaks -- baloney. I've got a daughter. She's got to deal with that crap on T.V. every day -- all right. It's tough.</s>BRIGGS: Tough. Moments later, he told inmates he's not dismissing the fact they do have it tougher. His Democratic opponent, Abigail Spanberger, called Brat's comments, quote, "disturbing and damaging."</s>ROMANS: All right, throw some more money into that office pool, folks. The Mega Millions jackpot is up to $970 million -- cash option, $549 million. That's the largest Mega Millions pot ever. The jackpot has been building since July 24th. The drawing is at 11:00 p.m. eastern tonight.</s>BRIGGS: With so much negativity in the world doesn't it just make you feel good to dream about your yacht?</s>ROMANS: You know your chances of winning are just about the same if you don't buy a ticket.</s>BRIGGS: Oh, whatever. The Red Sox are winning, back in the World Series for the fourth time since 2004. A big 3-run homer here in the sixth by Rafael Devers. And six stellar scoreless innings from starter David Price. The leftie lifting the Sox to a 4-1 win over the defending champion Astros in game five of the ALCS. That was Price's first playoff win as a starter in 12 tries. In game one of the World Series, Tuesday at Fenway, the Sox will face the winner of the Dodgers-Brewers series. Game six in the NLCS tonight. L.A. leads that series three games to two.</s>ROMANS: Look at John Berman.</s>BRIGGS: A young John Berman.</s>ROMANS: All right.</s>BRIGGS: I wonder if John Berman slept much --</s>ROMANS: I don't know about him.</s>BRIGGS: -- staying up to watch the Sox.</s>ROMANS: He doesn't sleep. He's kind of a news robot. Thanks for joining us. I'm Christine Romans.</s>BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs. "NEW DAY" starts right now. Have a great weekend.</s>TRUMP: Any guy that can do a body slam, he's my guy.</s>ROMANS: President Trump praising a reporter's assault as the world waits for answers about journalist Jamal Khashoggi's apparent murder.</s>POMPEO: We ought to give them a few more days so that we, too, have a complete understanding of the facts.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is an opportunity for the Saudis to create a narrative that takes the blame off of the crown prince.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's time to revoke the blank check the Trump administration has given to Saudi Arabia.</s>ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.</s>ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. This is NEW DAY. It is Friday, October 19th, 6:00 here in New York. And last night, President Trump supported violence against journalists. He praised and joked about a Republican congressman who assaulted a journalist last year.</s>TRUMP: I had heard that he body-slammed a reporter. Any guy that can do a body slam, he's my guy.