Numbers for both candidates were down. Even Romney's numbers from McCain's were down and could have flipped this if that number held. Third party temper-tantrum types seemed to have had an influence in Ohio and Florida, not that those states are important for anything. So you may have a point there.
Lets not get carried away. McCain did worse in the must need battleground states and worse in the Electoral College than Romney.
McCain probably got more votes from already deep red states.
Long time experienced political operators, common joe voters, all claiming that that the turnout was the biggest they had ever seen and yet the numbers were down. Something just does not smell right!!!