On the scale of things said about women by men in power this is about a 2/10, there's many much more egregious examples of sexism out there for people to be upset about.
The comment in itself is an everyday (unacceptable but everyday) example of misogyny. But to judge it based on the abstract is frankly absurd.
However, the comment, as does everything, exists in context. If he said this a year ago...its in the report. If he said it two years ago, everyone laughs. To say it not just in the present moment, but AT THE MEETING where Uber is trying to move beyond this culture is unacceptable. It isn't about the comment itself even, its about how the comment undermines everything Uber is trying to do right now. If they had not let him go they likely would have opened themselves up to lawsuits from every other person they fired, and the attempts at cultural change would have literally died at birth.
What possess someone to say something like that at a time like that. Maybe try keeping ya gob shut.
Maybe it'd be nice for a change if men in power were generally saying pleasant things about women.
That there are worse things happening in other places doesn't mean we can't also expect better behaviour from those in front of us now.
P.S. Hello from the south island
It also seems like, given the context of the remarks, the (probably little) harm this causes him, and the potential for a new board member who's hopefully more inclusive, that hopefully something good comes of this.